The Carolina Panthers selected Auburn quarterback Cam Newton with the No. 1 pick in the NFL recruit Thursday night, having a bet the Heisman Trophy winner will overcome questions in this area his character and bring about ethic to be converted into the team's initially contract quarterback.
After vacant 2-14 continue season with the NFL's most terrible offense, the Panthers bypassed safer choices such as Alabama defensive tackle Marcell Dareus, LSU cornerback Patrick Peterson and Georgia receiver A.J. Green pro Newton, who dazzled in his single season before a live audience major college football.
"He has special qualities," all-purpose administrator Marty Hurney understood. "We've had a strong feeling pro approximately calculate with the intention of he was the person who we felt may possibly occur in and be inflicted with the generally impression on our football team."
At the recruit center of operations in New York, Newton understood he got a call from Hurney and extra coach Ron Rivera solely previous to the selection was announced. Equally Newton hugged his family tree, the selection was met with enthusiasm and chants of "Cam! Cam! Cam!" from fans attending a recruit have fun by Bank of America Stadium.
"It was like a shock went through my body," understood Newton, wearing a blue Panthers' cap. "I'm solely blessed. ... I can't pass the time to make to my extra motherland of Charlotte."
At 6-foot-5 and 248 pounds, Newton combined beast strength to barrel ended defenders on the run with a strong, accurate arm. He accounted pro 50 touchdowns, a 14-0 confirmation, won the Heisman Trophy and led the Tigers to the inhabitant championship.
But Newton carries baggage and questions, making him likely the riskiest pick in Carolina's 17 seasons.
The College Park, Ga., native ongoing college by Florida but missing amid reports he was in this area to be disciplined pro academic cheating. That came with an 2008 arrest relating a stolen laptop, a charge with the intention of was dropped as he concluded a pretrial intervention curriculum pro first-time offenders.
A Mississippi State booster shortly claimed Newton's father tried to make the Bulldogs to shell out $180,000 pro his son to mess about pro them. Newton ended up by Auburn and was dominant despite an NCAA investigation which eventually single-minded Newton didn't know of his father's pay-for-play scheme.
Rivera understood they did diligent investigate discussion with ex- coaches and teammates.
"I can tell you he's the generally researched player I've always been around," Rivera understood.
But character questions aren't the single issues with Newton. He played in a simplified apply offense by Auburn in which he permanently was in the shotgun and had hardly any reads to energy through. Several recruit analysts be inflicted with questioned Newton's bring about ethic.
Rivera stressed Newton isn't designed to be a "franchise liberator," but he understood he'll make a shot to mess about as a recruit. Rivera acknowledged they might be inflicted with to extent down the playbook so as not to overwhelm him, but they'll furthermore add elements to take benefit of his skills.
The Panthers, who continue took a quarterback in the initially around as they selected Kerry Collins fifth overall in 1995, their first season, be inflicted with been vocal in their need pro a major upgrade under focal point. They did extensive background checks on Newton and are in no doubt he can develop into a mobile, dual-threat QB such as Ben Roethlisberger or Michael Vick.
NFL.Com senior writer Steve Wyche reported earlier this week with the intention of Newton produced a very clear drone by team center of operations as he visited a hardly any weeks past. During with the intention of bring to a standstill, he furthermore met with team title-holder Jerry Richardson, who was amongst many impressed with how Newton handled his lengthy interview.
"This toddler is an amazing toddler, as far as his resiliency," understood Hall of Fame quarterback maze Moon, who is in New York with Newton pro the recruit and has been selection him arrange pro a career in the NFL. "He solely doesn't seem to consent to things disturb him. He has such a strong corrupt as far as how he was raised and could you repeat that? His father preached to him all these years growing up in this area how splendid (he) can be, by no means taking whatever thing pro granted, all these uncommon things with the intention of he educated him. He solely seems to energy along his life and be inflicted with a splendid calculate, and he knows exactly could you repeat that? He wants to sort out, he knows how to make it made, and that's could you repeat that? He's vacant in this area responsibility.
"Yeah, he hears approximately of the distractions. Yeah, it bothers him as he hears a ration of the negativity, especially things with the intention of are pointed headed for his dad ... But he uses it as motivation to get on to him a better player and get on to him a better person."
Inside his final season by Auburn, Newton concluded 185 of 280 passes pro 2,854 yards, with 30 touchdowns and seven interceptions. He rushed pro 1,473 yards on 264 attempts with 20 touchdowns and trapped two passes pro 42 yards and lone notch. He and Tim Tebow, who won a Heisman by Florida, are the single players in NCAA history to pass pro 20 touchdowns and rush pro 20 touchdowns in the same season.
Newton joins Bo Jackson (1986), Aundray Bruce (1988) and Tucker Frederickson (1965) as Auburn players taken with the No. 1 selection in the NFL recruit.
Carolina has defined poor quarterback mess about since Jake Delhomme's six-turnover performance in a January 2009 go against loss to Arizona.
Delhomme by no means recovered, throwing 18 interceptions the following season previous to he was released continue spring. Matt Moore was decent in his place in the dead of night in 2009, but the following season was a uncommon story.
Carolina's 2-14 campaign ongoing with Moore's three end-zone interceptions in a loss by the New York Giants and ended with recruit Jimmy Clausen mustering lone touchdown by Atlanta.
Moore and Clausen combined pro eight touchdowns and 19 interceptions. Clausen went 1-9 as a starter lacking a 200-yard quick game or a touchdown pass to a large receiver. The Panthers averaged lone attacking touchdown for every game and their 196 points were a contract low, 75 fewer than one other team.
Clausen and Tony ridge, furthermore a recruit continue season, are the single quarterbacks under contract pro the Panthers then season. Moore is slated to be a restricted emancipated agent under the old collective bargaining agreement. Hurney understood it was doable they'll sign a veteran QB.
The Panthers were in an anomalous spot pro this recruit thankfulness to the labor dispute putting emancipated agency on call. With current players barred from being involved in recruit deals and with thumbs down clear-cut No. 1 scale, Hurney's phone didn't ring with offers from teams appealing in grabbing the top pick.
Newton's star power may possibly help a flaccid contract looking to boost ticket sales and aid deals with being the league's most terrible team in 2010. But the move might determine Hurney's prospect and quickly mark out Rivera's tenure. The ex- San Diego Chargers defensive coordinator replaced John Fox in January.
"I ongoing with eight guys in my mind," Rivera understood of the top pick. "It became seven and at that time four, and I tried to ride with the intention of pro as long as I may possibly. But everything reserved pointing back to Cam."
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