Cameron Newton started his college career at the University of Florida as a highly touted quarterback prospect.   The plan was to back up Tim Tebow until it was his time to shine.  This never came to fruition though.  Newton made the decision to leave Florida and transfer to Blinn College in 2008 when Tebow decided to come back for his senior season.  Blinn College?

Why Blinn College?

It was discovered that Newton had stolen a laptop from a fellow student.  And, that is not all.  Newton was also accused of cheating in the classroom on three different occasions.  Ouch.  It was either stay at Florida and face expulsion or leave and start anew somewhere else.

So, Blinn College may have been a wise choice to lay low for a bit and recapture some glory on the field.  And...he did.  He most surely did.  The next season he transferred once again and Auburn was the destination.  The rest is history.  Newton had a glorious year at Auburn.  He is a champion and Heisman trophy winner.

CAMERON NEWTON

via imgs.sfgate.com

Born: May 11, 1989 (Age:21)

Place of Birth: College Park, Georgia

Height: 6 ft 6 in   Weight: 250 lbs

Career Highlights: Walter Camp Award; AP Player of the Year; Maxwell Award; Davey O'Brien Award; Manning Award; Heisman Trophy; 2 BCS National Championships.

Newton's Strengths:

SIZE

The young man has the body of Ben Roethlisberger.  Both are nearly exactly the same height and weight.  And, just like Big Ben...Newton can shake off would-be tacklers and stretch out a play.  Something can be said for players with this ability.  It is frustrating for opposing teams when quarterbacks such as this are hard to bring down.  Newton has the ability to improvise and find the open man downfield.

ARM STRENGTH

He has a laser arm.  Plain and simple.  Newton can throw the football over 70 yards.  He has an NFL caliber arm when it comes to strength.  This is an invaluable trait among young quarterbacks and is hard to teach.  This kid has it.  Newton is also an excellent passer on the run out of the pocket.

CONFIDENCE

Never underestimate the power that winning has on an individual's mindset.  Newton had an amazing year that was capped off by a Heisman Trophy victory and an undefeated National Championship.  Oh yeah...he was the MVP of the Championship game as well.

Newton's Total College Statistics:

Note: Newton also became the third player in NCAA FBS history to throw and run for 20-plus touchdowns in a single season.

Newton's Weaknesses:

ACCURACY

This is perhaps a slight knock on the guy.  His accuracy is fair.  He can make great throws mind you, but I have seen some passes go way off the mark.  This concerns me.  A quarterback can't make perfect passes all the time, but I can't excuse overthrowing wide open receivers.  This is something that can be worked on through coaching though.

POCKET-PASSING TECHNIQUE

Newton will rely on the strength of his arm over the positioning of his feet and not set them in the pocket.  He will opt to make an unbalanced throw off his back foot.

REPUTATION

Past behavior is well researched my most NFL teams when bringing new blood into an organization.  Especially when it is both a quarterback and a first round pick.  Newton has been charged with theft at Florida and the situation with his father this past year has been well documented.  Whether or not Cameron knew of his fathers intentions is still unknown, but it is a strike against him nonetheless.

Considerations to draft Cameron Newton:

The kid is a gamer.  He finds a way to win.  It may pain the Browns to see another possible top-notch quarterback pass by them on draft day.  To know that they had the option to select Newton this year and then watch him become a successful quarterback in the NFL in the future will be a tough pill to swallow.  Especially if Colt McCoy does not pan out.

Don't get me wrong.  I am a big fan of Colt McCoy and I am pulling for him.  Colt is also a gamer and I love his accuracy and proxy, but his arm strength and size concerns me.  Newton has the size and talent over McCoy.  Drafting Newton will undoubtedly put a buzz into the facilities of Berea and spark the interest of the local and national media.

The Browns organization and fans have to realize that the quarterback is the most important man on the field.  This goes without saying and it has been too long since we have had a strong quarterback presence. 

Considerations not to draft Newton:

The Browns have too many other positions to upgrade with their first pick of the draft.  If Holmgren, Heckert and Shurmur believe that McCoy can and will lead this team to the promised land, then they will go in a different direction.  Bolstering both the offensive and defensive lines are paramount; not to mention the dire need at wide receiver.

Newton's reputation is a factor as well.  His past will be an issue with some NFL teams and may come into question with the Browns organization.

My Take:

Newton intrigues me.  The vision of having a big quarterback with a strong arm and elusive ability would intrigue anyone.  I can't ignore his out of pocket presence and taking off with the ball under his arm.  Newton is a quarterback that can run for 100 yards in a game.  But, if it were up to me I would pass on Newton on draft day and take the best available player.  Put talent around McCoy and see what he can do.  Newton has the chance to be a great quarterback in the NFL, but the Browns must concentrate on pass rushers and offensive playmakers at the wide receiver position.