NFL GM: Newton A “Black Ben Roethlisberger”

 Send This Story To A Friend

It’s hard to imagine a scenario in which Cam Newton plays quarterback for Auburn next season.  Oh sure, maybe an NFL lockout — if one actually comes to pass — would drive Newton back to the college game — if he’s NCAA-approved — but that seems far-fetched.

With his talent, his current draft stock and the questions surrounding his recruitment as backdrop, it’s likely that Newton will take his game to the pros next spring.  But what kind of pro might he be?

According to Mike Freeman of CBSSports.com, NFL general managers aren’t sure.


“When one NFL general manager watches game film of Auburn’s Cam Newton, he sees something special. 

‘This guy could be fantastic,’ he said.

Another general manager, who has also watched Newton on film, believes Newton ‘will be average at best.’

Yet one more general manager made the politically incorrect, but perhaps accurate, assessment that Newton was the ‘black Ben Roethlisberger.’”


Freeman reports that there was little agreement among the GMs when it came to gauging Newton’s skills.  One said the 6-6 Newton could set the mold for 21st century quarterbacks.  Another said he would make the Pro Football Hall of Fame as a tight end.  (Guess Mark Richt isn’t alone on that tight end thing.)

Much of this shows just how inaccurate the NFL draft process is.  That should tell us something about college recruiting, too.  Take this paragraph as an example:


“One (GM) said from the film he’s seen, Newton doesn’t get the credit he deserves for being one of the more accurate passers in college football.  Another said he was highly inaccurate.”


Freeman says there was only one consensus among the officials he spoke with — that Newton’s off-field controversies will have little impact on his draft stock.