NFL Draft 2011: Cam Newton Says Criticism of Him Is "Ammunition"

Cam Newton is still the topic of most conversations where the NFL Draft is concerned and, for good reason, people continue to wonder if can get it done at the next level. The same sorts of questions plagued one Tim Tebow who, against all odds, ended up being a first-round pick in 2010.

Cam Newton, if I may be so bold, is a better quarterback prospect—physically—than Tim Tebow was at this stage and, adding even more creme to the coffee, he has some nice intangibles that are hard to overlook when you are considering building a franchise—including confidence in himself and a fierce need to prove every single one of his doubters wrong.

That said, there is no reason, yet, to believe that Newton will be able to do that given the questions surrounding his ability to read defenses, take snaps from under center (consistently), and transition from the "simple" offense he ran at Auburn to the more complex one he will likely execute at the pro level.

Even still, he remains optimistic that he is much better than his critics keep telling us he is and, in the end, he will kill us all with his ability and success at the next level.

Check his one-on-one interview with John Gruden:



For the record, the last quarterback Jon Gruden selected in a draft was Josh Johnson—just saying—yet
he has given Newton his seal of approval saying, "I think Cam Newton's the best player in the country...I agree with the Heisman Trophy people that gave him the award. He's got everything I'm looking for.''

While there can be no denying Newton as one of the best players in this year's draft, does that necessarily mean he will be the best quarterback? Is he a better quarterback prospect than Blaine Gabbert or Ryan Mallett? At this point does he even have to be?

Mallett is still battling character questions after  admitting he used drugs while at Arkansas and, just this morning, skipped out on a meeting with the Carolina Panthers due to illness (illness that's rumored to be due to a hangover). Which, if that's true, he is looking a lot less like a pro prospect than a massive problem—a la Ryan Leaf.

As for Gabbert, well, he may have some believers still hanging onto his potential as a No. 1, but the his spotlight seems to fade with each new Cam Newton interview, article, or editorial. Gabbert just hasn't been able to maintain public attention he seemed to have coming up to the NFL Combine. 

While some have already stated that Gruden is not qualified to make an assessment of any potential prospect's talent at the next level, you still have to respect a guy who is better known for telling it like it is than blowing smoke up your rear, so Gruden just joins a few others in the NFL camp who feel that Newton is the real deal.

As for the rest, I suggest Newton keep that gun handy—I see plenty more "ammunition" headed your way.

Related articles

• Cam Newton: Further Exposed by Jon Gruden's Coach 'Em Up Segment (football.rawsignal.com)
• Dilfer calls Cam Newton no-brainer for Bills (football.rawsignal.com)
• Broncos take final look at Cam Newton, Blaine Gabbert (profootballtalk.nbcsports.com)
• Jon Gruden gushes about Cam Newton (profootballtalk.nbcsports.com)

John Fox: What Moves Could The New Denver Coach Make Next?

The Denver Broncos have named John Fox as their next head coach.

Fox, who led the Carolina Panthers to one Super Bowl, and three playoff appearances, in nine seasons, has been rumored as the Bronco's choice for a while, but John Elway made the hire official today with this tweet,

Said Elway, "He is a dynamic and proven leader who will energize our entire organization".

Fox returns to coaching in the AFC for the first time in 16-years. His last stint was as the defensive coordinator for the Los Angeles Raiders—now in Oakland.

He is expected to be an upgrade in both experience and leadership over the fired Josh McDaniels—whose personality and personnel decisions often left much to be desired—but is still a curious pick given his perceived lack of passion his last two seasons in Charlotte.

Will the support system in Denver be enough to get his competitive juices flowing again?

Whatever his mindset coming in, his next major task is filling out the offensive and defensive staff. No names have been seriously mentioned yet, but speculation has already begun on what type of offensive scheme Fox will bring (west coast) and whether or not Tim Tebow will be the guy executing it.

It's no secret that as nimble afoot as Tebow is, he still has a ways to go to become the type of quarterback who can confidently take snaps from under-center. That said, if he can continue to develop and make the proper tweaks to his game, he could become a decent candidate to run a west coast type offense—which centers around short passes, a strong rushing element, and the occasional big downfield play.

As for the defense, some are hoping that Fox can call upon his friend and former college teammate, Herman Edwards. Edwards is currently an analyst for ESPN, but has a reputation in the league as a good defensive coordinator.

One thing that is almost certain is the Bronco's 2011 draft pick will go towards upgrading their defense.

Assuming Nick Fairley declares himself draft eligible—which he almost certainly will—he could be the guy. If not him, Patrick Peterson (DB) of the LSU Tigers could be a possibility.

The Broncos stand to lose some talent at the secondary position in the near future as Champ Bailey enters the latter part of his career, and Perrish Cox's situation remains up in the air in light of his sexual assault charge.

Peterson could fit the bill as both a defender and special teams player as he is a very skilled return man as well.

Fox will have his hands full over the next few months as he evaluates exactly what he has in Denver, and what direction the team will go from this point forward.

NFL Draft: Can Cam Newton Play His Way Into The No. 1 Spot?

Andrew Luck has made the decision to return to Stanford for his senior year—forget the money, give him the degree—good for him. However, that now means the Carolina Panthers have a decision to make about which player deserves to be taken No. 1 overall.

Enter Cam Newton—playing in the Fiesta Bowl this Monday night—is it possible that if he performs well in that game, he'll be able to vault himself into the No. 1 spot on draft day?

The problem won't be his resume. He's clearly proven himself to be a great talent, and a game-changer, but is he technically sound enough to be a starter in the NFL from day one?

He hasn't taken many snaps from under-center this season, at Auburn, and that gives some pause when considering his overall ability to execute a pro-style offense at the next level.

Even so, his athletic ability and instincts with the football would make him the type of quarterback that the Panthers—especially if both DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart remain healthy—could use to bolster their stagnant offense.

Carolina needs a spark now more than ever, and if Newton decides to leave early—which many assume he will—there is little reason to doubt he won't be taken in the first round, possibly in the Top 15.

So the only question is his worthiness as a possible No. 1.

If Carolina decides Newton is too great a risk, they could always look to A.J. Green (the star wide receiver for the Georgia Bulldogs)—who has remained mum on his future—but is also thought by many to be on his way to the NFL.

Carolina's current star receiver, Steve Smith, is as unhappy with the direction the team has gone in of late, and the thought of him being in a Panthers uniform much longer looks to be a long shot. Green is projected to be a phenomenal pass-catcher at the next level, and could step into the role of the Panther's number one guy at wide receiver—should Smith exit this year or the next.

The sleeper in this could be Nick Fairley, the big-time defensive tackle out of Auburn.

The Panthers need a guy who can make opposing quarterback's nervous and help neutralize the run game—Fairley could be that guy and he would be a welcome addition to a defensive line that has a lot of nice pieces, but lacks that one explosive piece to complete it.

Carolina has a decision to make about their future, starting with the head coach, and with Luck out of the equation, that future just added a few more question marks.

Related articles

• Andrew Luck returns to Stanford (profootballtalk.nbcsports.com)
• Andrew Luck skipping NFL draft, will return to Stanford Cardinal (sports.espn.go.com)

It's Official: The Dallas Cowboys Are The Worst Team In The NFC

Before anyone thinks to step in and correct the title of this post, please understand that it was written with full knowledge that the Carolina Panthers are equally as awful. That said, the Panthers have an excuse for their suckage. The Cowboys do not—they are just a bad football team playing bad football—period.


If you're a Cowboys fan, it has to be painful to watch your team sputter and freefall through a season that was supposed to be so full of championship promise.

Your quarterback was supposed to be better than ever, you thought you had talent galore in the running game, and, for once, there was plenty of promise at wide receiver with an emerging Miles Austin and a talented Dez Bryant.

Well, somewhere along the way, that promise went to hell as the team has under-performed and played like a bunch of guys with no idea what the heck a football field, a football, or a touchdown looks like. Their offense, with or without Romo, is deplorable.

Their defense is a joke—seemingly falling apart after week three and, honestly, showing little sign of returning the remainder of the season.


So, the questions that people need to start asking are 1) when will Wade Phillips be fired?

Obviously, the guy has reached his ceiling for what he can do in Dallas. He has never been a next-level kind of coach and it's mind-boggling that his mediocrity has kept him employed this long.  Question 2)
when will Jerry Jones hire a real GM?

Let's be honest, it was Jones' decision to bring the oft-injured Felix Jones and the ineffective Marion Barber to the Cowboys in the first place. Not to mention, Roy Williams...why?

Jones mojo might have been good four seasons ago, but it's time he relinquish his draft rights to someone more qualified to handle their importance—especially since it looks like Dallas could be in the running for the No. 1 overall pick this spring.

More seriously, though, you have to wonder how Jones will pay for that billion dollar stadium in Dallas now that his team has no value to the average fan. Who wants to spend their hard-earned money to see a bunch of overpaid athletes quit on a weekly basis—pass on that one.

You want a true testament to how bad this team is...at the time of this posting, they have exactly 87 yards of offense...through three quarters!


Pathetic. 


America's Team?...not right now they aren't.