2011 NFL Draft: Cam Newton Gets Rave Reviews For Workout
by Christopher Gates on Feb 11, 2011 11:25 AM CST
in 2011 NFL Draft
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PrintYesterday, Auburn's Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Cam Newton held a dog-and-pony show workout session that only media members were allowed to attend. So, what did the workout do for Newton's draft stock? Well, that depends entirely on who you ask.
Former NFL quarterback and current ESPN analyst Trent Dilfer is under the impression that Newton's workout is going to push him way up the charts.
"That was phenomenal," ESPN’s Trent Dilfer reports via Bruce Feldman. "If scouts saw this they’d have been slobbering."
...
"His mechanics are so sound," Dilfer said. "The ball just jumps off his hands. He made 30 big-time throws."
I don't think anyone has any doubt about Cam Newton's physical talents. Everyone knows that he's big and fast and has a huge arm.
To counter-balance this, here's the word from someone that didn't actually attend the workout, but that many Viking fans have a great deal of respect for based on his work during Vikings' pre-season games, NFL Network analyst Mike Mayock.
"I really didn’t need to see the workout, nor do I need to hear about the workout. … I’ve watched five of (Newton’s) game tapes," Mayock explained. "He’s got a classic overhand delivery, he’s got a big arm. You and I in gym shorts at the local high school can throw pretty accurately, so I would guarantee you (Newton) would look great in a pair of gym shorts.
"…But I would also (offer) one cautionary note, and that is the best Pro Day for a quarterback I ever attended was JaMarcus Russell. That same day, even though I admitted it was the best Pro Day I ever saw, I also said I wouldn’t take (Russell) in the first round."
To that end, Mayock still has Newton ranked third in his list of draft-eligible quarterbacks, beind Missouri's Blaine Gabbert and Washington's Jake Locker. . .the latter of whom is dropping like the proverbial stone according to many experts.
Last year, the most controversial prospect in the draft, in terms of ability and how he'd adjust to the NFL, was Tim Tebow, who ultimately went from being projected as a fifth or sixth-round selection after his performance at the Senior Bowl to being taken in the first round by the Denver Broncos. I don't think there's any doubt that Cam Newton is going to go in the first round of the NFL Draft in 2011. . .it's just a matter of how high he goes and which team wants to take a chance on him.
EDIT: Hat tip to our friends at Cat Scratch Reader for finding the video that's available of Newton's workout from yesterday. As the post from CSR explains, it's easy to see what people would have gotten excited about.
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The biggest factor
in being successful in the nfl for qb’s is work ethic. Russell may not have ever been a hall of fame qb but he wouldn’t be the bust he is if he worked hard. they are all talented, but they all don’t want to work hard to be successful. there’s no way to tell from a pro day what his work ethic is. I like Mike Mayock. he usually isn’t fooled by workout numbrs like alot of other analysts.
I agree
He looked good. Granted the highlights were not amazing he had throws to high, to low, and behind the receiver which you expect that in a rookies workout ,but still a little bit of an exaggeration on amazing from Mr. Dilfer. The big question is as you said is the attitude. Will it be there with a guy who has had the media kiss his butt all year long? Tebow didn’t have that. The media always brought up his flaws so he learned to push himself to prove them wrong. Those are two completely different situations and players to be comparing Mr. Gates. The media is rooting for Newton, they were not rooting for Tebow. I do think he looked good not great ,but good. Does he have the work ethic and will he not be a drama queen? If he shows Frazier he will work and he won’t cause distractions then for sure take a look at him.
by Vikings55Thunder on Feb 11, 2011 1:05 PM CST up reply actions
Work Ethic
Absolutely! You can overcome so many problems with a tireless work ethic. I don’t see Cam having that, but Locker apparently does.
If Mike Mayock says something
I listen. If Trent Dilfer says something, I change the channel before his piehole quits flapping.
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by Ted Glover on Feb 11, 2011 11:46 AM CST reply actions 1 recs
and before his mouth is done too.
I BELIEVE...
by ArizonaVikingsFan on Feb 11, 2011 12:50 PM CST up reply actions
Mayock is usually as close to reality as you can get.
He is right more than he is wrong, and does a great job of explaining reasons why.
I actually like Dilfer in the booth. I think he's pretty genuine,
but you never can tell on ESPN. That company seems more crooked than ever.
You can be genuine...
and still be an idiot.
Dilfer has a little of the idiot in him. He is not bad as an on air guy, I just hold more stock in Mayock.
It's kind of hilarious that Newton did this
The question mark on him is his work ethic and his football intelligence. This doesn’t answer either question even a little.
Exactly
That was the purpose of this stunt, to divert those questions. I won’t be surprised if this is the last we see of Newton before the draft. He won’t throw at the combine. He might not even throw at Auburn’s Pro day.
"I am patient with stupidity but not with those who are proud of it."
I think he'll throw at his Pro Day
Teams couldn’t even attend this workout. He has to throw in front of scouts at some point.
But yea, probably won’t throw at the Combine. Doesn’t need to really. The thing they want to see at the Combine is to sit him down with a chalkboard and interrogate him about the plays they ran at Auburn. They need to find out if the offense was simple because he couldn’t handle anything more complex or because it’s a college flash-n-dash offense. The chalk board is what will determine if this kid is a top 10 prospect or a late first round prospect.
Question...
… how is football intelligence different from ordinary intelligence? Football isn’t exactly brain surgery.
by HammeroftheGods on Feb 11, 2011 7:06 PM CST up reply actions
Interesting that you ask that
Because the answer is complex. Without claiming to be a football expert, I can tell you that “ordinary intelligence” can be defined in several different ways (the mainstream opinion among people who measure these things is that there are 7). Generally speaking, one type of intelligence is not valued over another when measuring intelligence.
However, I can imagine that Spatial Reasoning is more important than Linguistic Recognition/Patterning for a quarterback. Pattern Recognition is important, but probably meets a sufficiency threshold, where there is some point where an increase in Pattern Recognition capability does not give you that much more. Data retention can be important, but you might be able to design complex offenses without a high degree of data retention (so long as you run 3 or 4 basic sets with complex branching – options, veers, pistol formation, etc.).
And there is a much higher degree of emphasis on intuitive and quick thinking for a QB that is not represented on many measures of intelligence.
Overall, you are correct insofar as you don’t have to be relatively intelligent to be a good QB compared to other skill professions.
Why am I the only one
who thinks his release needs to be quicker?
Who do you love?
It only takes one. That’s what all these guys are doing. Just get one team that thinks your the answer & you sign for the the big 1st round money. I guess that the reason some franchise stay on top all the time & others never seem to get to the top. You have to get a true evaluation of a player. It’s not about how many far or high you can jump or how fast you are. Al Davis out in Oakland thinks speed is the answer to everything. If the guys a speed demon sign him up. He can’t catch worth a shit & his blocking is even worse but he’s the fastest guy on the field.
Watched the video...
Not impressed.
Let’s see… He half-assed his agility drills.
Showed he could go through 3-4 reads while not under pressure.
Threw to some moving receivers while receiving pressure that doesn’t actually try to make contact and runs right past him.
Threw to some receivers with DBs who were playing 10 yards off the receiver.
This is a workout a high school QB would look good doing.
I don't watch enough college football to know...
But I do know that this video didn’t show me anything special.
Like i said before
It’s a hype-machine. Don’t read into anything else. It’s a chance for some people to see him throw a few balls around, but like Mayock said, he’s going to just watch some game film and leave it at that. Besides, it’s only a practice. Is he supposed to get an all-star team trying to take his head off 2 months before one of the biggest days of his life…I don’t think so.
I agree that it's the hype machine
Bus Cook just wanted to get the media buzzing about him so his stock will go up—which it will because the media is largely made up of ninnies. I take that back, it’s more like nattering nabobs of nincompoopery.
I wonder if the media types got free Cam Newton T-shirts and key chains.
there is only one NFL expert that i ever listen to and actually knows what he is talking about
and that is mike mayoc. He makes pre-season great because of his comments on the vikings and then throughout the season. The guy knows what he is actually talking about.
He has...
… nicely sculpted calves.
He is good at playing catch too.
by HammeroftheGods on Feb 11, 2011 7:09 PM CST reply actions
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