Matt Maiocco has us taking Newton # 1 overall

[Mr. Scot]

It really does revolve around Clausen. If the team thinks he is a franchise guy you are right you wouldn't spend a high pick on Qb this year or anytime in the near future. If you have serious doubts, you could certainly pull the trigger. The fact we were going to pick Luck says that if a better option is available we would pull the trigger. The debate is where you see Clausen in relation to the other QBs once Luck is no longer an option. Are guys like Newton the guy you have to have or just the best of the rest in an undistinguished group.

The reason I see it a possibility is because of how bad our offense was this year and Richardson's edict to fix it. How much it is a possibility will come down to Chud and Shula in discussions with Hurney about whether Clausen can be that guy or whether we have to go in a different direction.

It's hard to judge anyone else by the same standard as Andrew Luck.

I think the team feels like they don't know what they have in Clausen, but they've invested enough in him that they're willing to use this season to find out.

It makes sense to have a fallback plan just in case he isn't up to it, but I firmly believe he will be given every opportunity to succeed, which I also think means his competition will come from vets, not another draft pick that'll require even more coaching than Clausen.

[panthers55]

It's hard to judge anyone else by the same standard as Andrew Luck.

I think the team feels like they don't know what they have in Clausen, but they've invested enough in him that they're willing to use this season to find out.

It makes sense to have a fallback plan just in case he isn't up to it, but I firmly believe he will be given every opportunity to succeed, which I also think means his competition will come from vets, not another draft pick that'll require even more coaching than Clausen.

If it up to Hurney and it may be given the idea that Richardson intimated that previous HCs were given too much authority to pick players and run things, then I agree they won't want to bail on Clausen or invest too much in a replacement at this point. But it would be hard to believe that Rivera will want to waste a year or two waiting to see what Clausen can do and then have to pick another rookie and start all over with only a year or two left on his contract. It should be interesting to see which way they go. I suspect that a guy like Fairley is the safest pick at this point.

[SmootsDaddy89]

If Vick had started 16 games, he probably would have thrown for 4000 yards and 28 TDs. He would have rushed for 900 yards and 12 TDs.

If you don't think a QB who accounts for 5000 yards of offense and 40 TDs is in the top 3 QBs in the league, despite being a "running QB" then I'll let KT say the rest for me.

[vorbis]

if (and this is indeed a sizable if) the Panthers people take a close look at Newton and sit down and talk to him, and then after decide that he is the best player in this draft, then Clausen will have nothing to do with it and they'll pick him. I think you saw an earlier instance of this in action when Jonathan Stewart was drafted. I just don't know what Shula and Chud would think of Newton, and I don't know a whole lot about Cam Newton as a human being, either.

[panthers55]

if (and this is indeed a sizable if) the Panthers people take a close look at Newton and sit down and talk to him, and then after decide that he is the best player in this draft, then Clausen will have nothing to do with it and they'll pick him. I think you saw an earlier instance of this in action when Jonathan Stewart was drafted. I just don't know what Shula and Chud would think of Newton, and I don't know a whole lot about Cam Newton as a human being, either.

That is what the combine and individual workouts are for. I do hope we at least work him out and get all those questions answered.

[pantherj]

I might download some Auburn games and try to evaluate him as a QB. Right now I'm going to look at his throws and scrambling on youtube, and see what I think. I'm going to use a rating system from 1-4, 4 being excellent, 1 terrible. Of course youtube isn't enough to evaluate a QB, and I'm just a fan.

Size and build - 4: He's lean, muscular, tall, athletic, with big hands.

Arm strength and accuracy - 3.5. Reasons for rating:

40-50 yard Go routes - Recievers hit in stride, only slight adjustment needed if any.

20 yard Post routes - Recievers hit in stride, good velocity, loose trailing coverage on most plays. Can hit this route easy for TDs a lot if the coverage is trailing with no help, or fire it in there if the trailing DB is on the recievers back.

10-15 Deep In routes - Reicievers hit in stride, no adjustment needed, good velocity and touch, tight coverage. This guy can throw one hell of a deep in.

20-25 yard Flag routes - Good touch on the ball, average velocity, usually throwing off back foot due to pressure. Needs to step into this throw even with pressure in his face.

10-15 yard Deep Out routes - Lethal velocity and accuarcy into tight coverage. This guy can throw one hell of a Deep Out, and a Deep In. Excellent.

Can hit RBs coming out of the backfield all day with ease, just like our fan favorite Pickles.

Scrambling abiltiy - 4.

Throwing Motion - 2.5: On a lot of plays, Cam isn't using his legs to generate power/torque to throw the ball. He's using his powerful arm and wrist, but his footwork and lower body out of wack. He'll throw the ball with some, or most of his weight, on his back foot. He needs to have about 90% of his weight on his back foot before his throwing motion, and during the throwing motion he needs to trasnfer about 90% of his weight to his front foot. I've seen a lot of plays where he doesn't do that, and especially when facing pressure.

Locating Recievers - Unknown: You can't grade a who reads half the field, and looks to run if nothing is there. He's looking at 1 or 2 recievers and then bolting. The reason that works in college is because most recievers are open all the time. Busted coverage, and terrible DBs can make and average QB look like Joe Montana.

Cam will need to fix his throwing motion, and learn read an NFL defense, make all his checks quickly, and be willing to take a hit to deliver the ball. Who knows how long it would take before he was NFL ready, or if he'll ever be a good NFL QB. He has all the physical tools.

[vorbis]

if for no other reason than gamesmanship, you might see the Panthers having private workouts with 7 or 8 prospects for the #1 pick, and gosh, I'd be really surprised if Newton weren't one of them.

[Mother Grabber]

"Here's a list of QBs I ranked subjectively to prove my own pre-conceived notion that mobile QBs are not not any good, with a sample size of one year."

Also Aaron Rodgers rushed for about 400 yards last season, so if anyone hasn't already pointed this out yet, you're an imbecile.

Please enlighten us with your list of the 5 best QBs in the league.

[Snake]

If we go out and pick up a vet starter in free agency, then this year is Clausen's chance to prove if he can start or not. The vet will be the failsafe.

It doesn't make sense to go that route and then also use the #1 pick on that same spot.

Sense or not the ownership and GM have said in so many words that clausen is not a starter. First by outwardly saying we would draft luck and secondly by hurney saying that QB is top priority. Like it or not we will focus on a QB in the draft or FA and pickles want start this year or ever depending on what happens.

[Snake]

I might download some Auburn games and try to evaluate him as a QB. Right now I'm going to look at his throws and scrambling on youtube, and see what I think. I'm going to use a rating system from 1-4, 4 being excellent, 1 terrible. Of course youtube isn't enough to evaluate a QB, and I'm just a fan.

Size and build - 4: He's lean, muscular, tall, athletic, with big hands.

Arm strength and accuracy - 3.5. Reasons for rating:

40-50 yard Go routes - Recievers hit in stride, only slight adjustment needed if any.

20 yard Post routes - Recievers hit in stride, good velocity, loose trailing coverage on most plays. Can hit this route easy for TDs a lot if the coverage is trailing with no help, or fire it in there if the trailing DB is on the recievers back.

10-15 Deep In routes - Reicievers hit in stride, no adjustment needed, good velocity and touch, tight coverage. This guy can throw one hell of a deep in.

20-25 yard Flag routes - Good touch on the ball, average velocity, usually throwing off back foot due to pressure. Needs to step into this throw even with pressure in his face.

10-15 yard Deep Out routes - Lethal velocity and accuarcy into tight coverage. This guy can throw one hell of a Deep Out, and a Deep In. Excellent.

Can hit RBs coming out of the backfield all day with ease, just like our fan favorite Pickles.

Scrambling abiltiy - 4.

Throwing Motion - 2.5: On a lot of plays, Cam isn't using his legs to generate power/torque to throw the ball. He's using his powerful arm and wrist, but his footwork and lower body out of wack. He'll throw the ball with some, or most of his weight, on his back foot. He needs to have about 90% of his weight on his back foot before his throwing motion, and during the throwing motion he needs to trasnfer about 90% of his weight to his front foot. I've seen a lot of plays where he doesn't do that, and especially when facing pressure.

Locating Recievers - Unknown: You can't grade a who reads half the field, and looks to run if nothing is there. He's looking at 1 or 2 recievers and then bolting. The reason that works in college is because most recievers are open all the time. Busted coverage, and terrible DBs can make and average QB look like Joe Montana.

Cam will need to fix his throwing motion, and learn read an NFL defense, make all his checks quickly, and be willing to take a hit to deliver the ball. Who knows how long it would take before he was NFL ready, or if he'll ever be a good NFL QB. He has all the physical tools.

fair assessment. I think with time to sit for a year or two he could correct most of those problems.

[Pox 08]

That is what the combine and individual workouts are for. I do hope we at least work him out and get all those questions answered.

^This.

After the combine and such, I've faith in the front office to select the right guy. Qb wise, or any other position.

[teeray]

Throwing Motion - 2.5: On a lot of plays, Cam isn't using his legs to generate power/torque to throw the ball. He's using his powerful arm and wrist, but his footwork and lower body out of wack. He'll throw the ball with some, or most of his weight, on his back foot. He needs to have about 90% of his weight on his back foot before his throwing motion, and during the throwing motion he needs to trasnfer about 90% of his weight to his front foot. I've seen a lot of plays where he doesn't do that, and especially when facing pressure.

Pretty good evaluation. The only thing I guess I would disagree with was the throwing motion evaluation (sort of).

More of a technicality really. He actually has a really good "throwing motion". I say that from the stand point of his release point and his actual throwing mechanics from the waist up (in my opinion the more important of the two). I am not disagreeing with anything you said at all really and at times his footwork is indeed off, especially on quick throws like the bubble screens and quick slants because, you are absolutely right, he relies on his upper body strength instead of his feet to make those throws so ironically it is on the shorter throws that he has the least amount of accuracy.

So again I agree with everything you said but I guess I would have had it as two separate categories and my rating would have been something like:

Throwing motion 3.0-3.5

Footwork 2.0-2.5

I also want to say that one of the things Cam doesn't get enough credit for is his ability to reset his feet and throw. He didn't always scramble to run (contrary to popular belief). Many times this season (especially the second half of the year) he would make guys miss in the backfield and instead of just taking off he would scramble, reset, and throw a strike.

Ironically, some of his best footwork was when he actually was under pressure and a lot of his worst footwork was when he had no pressure at all.

As a guy who has studied QB's for over ten years now I can see why scouts are all over the place with this guy, and it is mainly because there hasn't been anyone really like him to truly compare him to.

My opinion on Cam is that he has unlimited potential. I truly believe that he could be a once in a lifetime type talent. As a matter of fact, I think his ceiling is actually higher than Andrew Luck's. But I also think he could be another Vince Young (good but not great). I also know that Luck is a safer bet to be a highly productive pro and I would have chosen him over Cam if he would have also come out this year (duh).

I don't know yet if I want the Panthers to take him or not. I think I do, but won't know for sure until after his workouts and interviews.

[Icege]

I personally think Cam Newton will be the likes of Joe Webb. Both will be superstars if they can bring their success from college to the pro level (here's looking at you, Armanti!). Both (Webb & Newton) are big guys that can make plays with their feet and have the big QB build. Both can air it out..

Michael Vick is living proof the dual threat QB works... in the right system.

It's up to QBs of their mold to adjust to what the game demands. If Newton goes somewhere that will let him make plays with his feet (imagine him somehow, someway ended up in Philly O.O), awesome. Could he be the next Big Ben? This time of year sucks

I don't think we take Newton unless he just absolutely astounds the country during the combine and work outs. Not entirely impossible (ANYTHING can happen atm, there's too many unknown variables to look at). I like the idea of Moore, Clausen, and a potential starter FA (in no particular order, whomever takes it in training camp gets it). Put Pike on the practice squad (unless he melts faces during training camp).

[jarhead]

Yup and Jake basically said after he left that he let Scherer get into his head a little too much.

Could also explain the total brain cramp Moore experienced this past season?

I can tell you from hanging out at practice that as the starting QB was walking out Scherer was almost always in his ear talking about something as they walked.

I think it had alot to do with the undoing of Jake