Cam Newton: Analyzing Carolina Panthers Star's Ceiling Among NFL's Elite QBs

Cam Newton had an incredible rookie season, and while the numbers he put up were simply mind-boggling, his place among the NFL's elite quarterbacks is not yet set in stone.

Newton still has a lot of work to do to prove that he can make the jump to be among the NFL's elite signal-callers.

In 2011, Newton completed 60 percent of his passes for an NFL rookie-record 4,051 yards, with 21 touchdowns and 17 interceptions. His passer rating of 84.5 ranked 15th among the 34 quarterbacks who qualified league-wide. Meanwhile, he rushed for 706 yards and 14 touchdowns.

Newton broke or tied several NFL rookie records, reached the Pro Bowl and was named AP Offensive Rookie of the Year. 

Physically, Newton has it all.

He's big (6'5" and 248 pounds), strong, fast and has enough arm strength to make all the throws. The big test will be how much he improves between his first and second NFL seasons.

That will tell us whether he'll be the kind of guy who just relies on his physical ability, or if he'll try to take his game to the next level by getting better mentally.

The key for NFL quarterbacks is watching tape, learning opponents backwards and forwards and figuring out how to take advantage of what they do. Newton showed beyond a shadow of a doubt that he has the physical tools to become one of the best players in the NFL today.

But how badly does he want it?

Guys like Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers and Drew Brees all got where they are today through hard work. They are almost obsessive about improving and gaining any advantage they can to help their teams win. That is why they all boast Super Bowl rings.

There were concerns about Newton's character and how he would handle being a celebrity coming out of college. The 2012 season will be his chance to silence his doubters forever, or open himself to a whole new round of criticism.

How good can Newton become?

It is really all up to him. The 2012 season should tell us a lot about what kind of person, and quarterback, he is.

Source: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1146987-analyzing-cam-newtons-ceiling-among-nfls-elite-qbs

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