Reading through various 2011 NFL mock drafts these days we're seeing Auburn QB Cam Newton usually going anywhere from the Buffalo Bills (third overall) to the Minnesota Vikings (12th). There are some teams in the middle who may consider him: Arizona Cardinals (fifth), Tennessee Titans (eighth) and Washington Redskins (10th).
Could Cam Newton Actually Be First Player Picked In 2011 NFL Draft?
There aren't many folks predicting Newton goes No. 1 to the Carolina Panthers. Maybe it's because Carolina spent a second round pick on QB Jimmy Clausen last year. Maybe it's "character concerns" surrounding Newton. Or maybe it's because they don't think he's that good.
Former Dallas Cowboys personnel man and current NFL.com analyst Gil Brandt thinks Newton does have the ability and would be "shocked" if he weren't the No. 1 pick.
"It would shock me... if he's not the first player picked," Brandt said Monday. "If I was drafting and I had Carolina's [No. 1] pick, I'd feel really good about who I was getting as far as ability. I just hope he realizes how hard he needs to work. You can have all the ability in the world but if you don't work like Drew Brees, Peyton Manning or Aaron Rodgers, you're only going to be semi-successful."
Will Newton figure that out? That remains to be seen but the first test will be this weekend at the 2011 NFL Combine where a lot of teams have likely put him on their 15-minute interview list. The words “character concerns” are thrown around quite a bit during draft season and it can apply to a lot of different things. But it comes down to whether Cam Newton can play well on the field and avoid the NFL’s ire off of it.
As it is every draft year, opinions will change and draft stock will rise and fall leading up to April’s draft.
See More:
