How did Cam Newton's character affect his scout report? Former Panthers star's NFL Combine controversy
Cam Newton entered the 2011 NFL draft after winning a national championship with the Auburn Tigers that January. He was seen as the top quarterback prospect in a draft that included Andy Dalton and Colin Kaepernick. While many draft analysts felt Newton was the real deal, one had quite the opposite sentiment.
Jim Folsom, who wrote for Bleacher Report at the time, questioned Newton's character ahead of that year's draft:
"Cam Newton's character has been repeatedly called into question. We have accusations of him and his father shopping him around to the school with the fattest wallet. We have accusations of academic fraud, grand theft, obstruction of justice and destruction of someone else's laptop.
"That's a whole lot of red flags. When things are going rough for the team, Cam is going to be the guy the other players are going to look to for leadership. How is that going to work? He has no credibility. His word means nothing."
Cam Newton started his collegiate career at the University of Florida, playing two seasons there (2007 - 2008). However, he chose to transfer from Florida following an arrest after he bought a stolen computer in November 2008. The charges were later dropped in December 2009.
Per FoxSports.com, Newton also breached the school's honor code by putting his name on another peer's work and turning it in as his own. He attended Blinn College before heading to Auburn for his junior season.
In that junior season, Cam Newton threw for 2,854 yards, 30 touchdowns, and seven interceptions. The College Park, Georgia native also rushed for 1,473 yards and 20 touchdowns that season. Newton won the 2010 Heisman Trophy in a landslide after his stellar season.
Before Cam Newton was Superman in the NFL ...
He was a true dual-threat QB at Auburn on his way to winning a national championship and the Heisman Trophy 🏆 https://t.co/BmO2J6YIjJ
Despite his past, the Carolina Panthers needed a franchise quarterback ahead of the 2011 draft, selecting Newton with the top pick.
Cam Newton and his phenomenal career with the Panthers
The Panthers decided to take Cam Newton number one overall and he ended up having a successful career with the franchise. The former Tigers star threw for 4,051 yards, 21 touchdowns, and 17 interceptions in his first season in the NFL. He also had 14 touchdowns on the ground as well, winning Offensive Rookie of the Year in the 2011 season.
Cam Newton Career Accolades:
2015 MVP
2015 NFC Champion
2011 NFL Offensive ROY
2010 Heisman Trophy Winner
2010 National Champion
"I think we're seeing a new chapter of Cam Newton — less Superman, more Iron Man. ... He's turned a page & the best is yet to come." — @kevinwildes https://t.co/ek1u98mIWa
Newton's 4,051 yards are the third-most in a rookie season in NFL history. He led the Panthers to the Super Bowl in the 2015 season while winning the league MVP. The two-time Pro Bowler had 3,837 yards, 35 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions while rushing for 636 yards and 10 touchdowns.
The multi-talented quarterback played the 2020 season for the New England Patriots after nine seasons with the Panthers. He returned to Carolina for the 2021.
In all, Cam Newton spent a decade with the team who drafted him. He is the franchise's all-time leader in yards (29,725) and touchdowns (186).
Newton has the most rushing touchdowns (63) and is third in rushing yards (5,036) in Panthers history. All things considered, Newton proved the naysayers wrong and carved out a great NFL career.
If you use any of the above quotes, please credit Bleacher Report and H/T Sportskeeda.