Cam Newton's Comin' Out

2010 Heisman trophy winner and BSC national champion quarterback Cam Newton has decided to declare himself eligible for the 2011 NFL draft. Newton was college football's biggest story this past season and was a lightning rod for attention, both negative and positive. He thrilled Auburn football fans with his athletic play, leading them in come from behind victories throughout the season all the way to a national championship. Controversy also surrounded Newton, however. He became embroiled with his father in a scandal regarding pay for play at Mississippi State.

It has been alleged that Cam's father demanded that Mississippi State pay 100,000 dollars for Cam Newton to play for that school. Cam Newton denies that he had any part in the issue and that it involved his father and not him. Cam Newton also had trouble at the University of Florida when he played there, knowingly buying a stolen laptop computer.

Watching Newton play, one immediately notices his talents. He is a big quarterback with an excellent arm and uncanny running ability for a guy his size. He willed Auburn to victory in many games this season and was undoubtedly the difference maker on that team. However, he is surrounded by off the field issues that bring his character into question and cause people to wonder if he is capable of handling the pressure of being the leader of an NFL squad.

Is it a good idea for Cam to enter the draft at this point in time? On the one hand it is probably important for him to strike while the iron is hot. He is the big name in college football and can probably secure himself a spot somewhere in the first round, if not the top 10. On the other hand, he injured his back in the national championship game, has been mired in controversy and has an incomplete body of work on the college level.

He only played for one year at Auburn, a historical one at that, but nonetheless, one year. Perhaps if he were to come back, scouts and GMs would have more to work with regarding his NFL potential and Auburn would have another legitimate shot at the BCS crown. Yet, he also, naturally risks injury, having a down season and thus dropping in the eyes of scouts. The darker side of Cam's departure is that maybe he is getting out while things are still good. On Tuesday on Dan Patrick's radio show, 55% of voters in a national poll thought that Auburn's national title would eventually be revoked because of the recruiting issues concerning Newton. Cam may not want to be around Auburn when the guillotine drops, if it ever does. Certainly, he would rather be collecting a paycheck far away from Auburn rather than being right in the thick of things there if the NCAA were to rule Auburn's championship null and void. It appears that Cam Newton has the physical tools to be successful on an NFL level. However, does he have the character and the mental game to lead a team? If we trust what he says and pay attention to what he did on the field, the answer is yes. If we see what his father did and decide that he is not who he says he is or is an incomplete player, the answer is no. Either way, Cam is heading to the NFL.