{"id":408913,"date":"2011-04-29T19:30:24","date_gmt":"2011-04-29T19:30:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.ghanamma.net\/2011\/04\/29\/top-pick-newton-ready-for-scrutiny-ap\/"},"modified":"2011-04-29T19:30:24","modified_gmt":"2011-04-29T19:30:24","slug":"top-pick-newton-ready-for-scrutiny-ap","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/04\/29\/top-pick-newton-ready-for-scrutiny-ap\/","title":{"rendered":"Top pick Newton ready for scrutiny (AP)"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP)\u2014Before signing off on the decision to draft Cam Newton<\/a>(notes)<\/a><\/span> No. 1 overall, Carolina Panthers<\/a> owner Jerry Richardson invited the former Auburn quarterback to his home and pulled out a letter from a fan.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn that letter,\u201d explained Newton, \u201cthe person said, \u2018Mr. Richardson, can you please ask Cam Newton if he wants to be great?\u201d\u2019<\/p>\n

A day after the Panthers gambled that Newton does have the drive to be a franchise quarterback, Newton stood at a podium on Friday in a crisp gray suit and blue tie and vowed not to be outworked.<\/p>\n

\u201cI understand it\u2019s not something that\u2019s going to be instant, like instant grits,\u201d Newton said of adjusting to the NFL. \u201cIt\u2019s more like collard greens. You\u2019ve got to let it sit and wait. But at the same time it\u2019s going to be a fun process. I know that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sporting a wide smile and oozing confidence, Newton met with reporters at his new place of employment Friday as he embarks on a quest to shed negative labels and overcome intense scrutiny to lead the Panthers out of the NFL\u2019s basement.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have embraced this whole process of being a person everybody looks at,\u201d Newton said.<\/p>\n

That was certainly the case as Newton paraded around Bank of America Stadium as the highest draft pick\u2014and likely the riskiest\u2014in the Panthers\u2019 17 seasons.<\/p>\n

The questions surround his off-field problems at Florida, his father\u2019s alleged pay-for-play scheme during his recruitment and how he\u2019ll adapt from a spread offense at Auburn to a pro-style system where reading defenses is more difficult.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen you look at the Auburn offense, they see somewhat of a simplistic offense. But at the same time you can\u2019t fault me for going into an offense that a coach had his own philosophy,\u201d Newton said. \u201cIt\u2019s my job to make that transition and make everything run smoothly.\u201d<\/p>\n

The 6-foot-5, 248-pound Heisman Trophy winner certainly did that at Auburn. He threw 30 touchdown passes and rushed for 20 more in the Tigers\u2019 14-0 national championship season. In comparison, the Panthers scored 16 offensive touchdowns in two more games in 2010.<\/p>\n

\u201cHis ability to run with the football, as a ball carrier, not just as a scrambler,\u201d coach Ron Rivera said when asked about Newton\u2019s strengths. \u201cHe can open things up for our running backs. If the defense crashes down on the line of scrimmage, he can bootleg outside and make something happen.\u201d<\/p>\n

But how long will it take to get to that point? And can he stay out of trouble?<\/p>\n

Center Ryan Kalil<\/a>(notes)<\/a><\/span> couldn\u2019t resist needling his new teammate when he posted on Twitter, \u201cCongratulations to entertainer and icon, Cam Newton.\u201d That\u2019s in reference to a declaration Newton made to Sports Illustrated in which he said he saw himself as more than a football player.<\/p>\n

Kalil, though, was quick to introduce himself to Newton on Friday.<\/p>\n

\u201cListen, as long as he\u2019s winning football games and helping us win football games he can say and do whatever he wants,\u201d Kalil said.<\/p>\n

Winning happened only twice for Carolina last season amid terrible quarterback play. Jimmy Clausen<\/a>(notes)<\/a><\/span> went 1-9 as a rookie starter after he replaced the injured and ineffective Matt Moore<\/a>(notes)<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cObviously we struggled last year,\u201d said Moore, set to be a free agent. \u201cIf a guy like that who is an explosive player can help this team, it\u2019s a good pick.\u201d<\/p>\n

There was another element of intrigue in the impending QB competition.<\/p>\n

After Newton stood with Rivera holding a No. 1 Panthers jersey and cameras flashed, Newton was asked if he hoped to wear No. 2, what he wore at Auburn.<\/p>\n

\u201cI will try,\u201d Newton said.<\/p>\n

That number right now belongs to Clausen.<\/p>\n

And while Clausen welcomed him via a text message Thursday night, he\u2019s not surrendering his job. Clausen was among the first players to arrive at team headquarters at dawn Friday when the NFL opened its doors following a court order to end the lockout.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe wished me luck. Just for a person to do that says a lot about his character and what type of person he really is,\u201d Newton said. \u201cWe had an interesting conversation about Charlotte. He said he was here and I was hoping I\u2019d get a chance to meet him. I\u2019m looking forward to not only meeting Jimmy, but a lot of other teammates.\u201d<\/p>\n

After talking of how he hoped to pattern his work ethic after star QBs Tom Brady<\/a>(notes)<\/a>,<\/span> Peyton Manning<\/a>(notes)<\/a><\/span> and Drew Brees<\/a>(notes)<\/a>,<\/span> Newton was whisked away for meetings with coaches. It was the first step in a process in which the Panthers and Newton hope to prove critics wrong.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m saying it right now: I\u2019m trying to be the best,\u201d Newton said. \u201cI strive to be great.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

<\/p>\n

Follow this link:
\nTop pick Newton ready for scrutiny (AP)<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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