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Cam Newton Declares For 2011 NFL Draft

Just a few days after saying "Honestly, I'm not going to make no decision right now" regarding his status for next season, Auburn QB Cam Newton has declared that he will skip his senior season and enter the NFL draft. Coming off a season where he won the Heisman trophy and the national championship, his stock will likely never be higher. Couple that with the fact that it's a weak QB draft without Andrew Luck and the ever present spectre of more NCAA investigations, the decision to take his talents to the NFL makes sense for Newton.

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How he could go this April is likely to be one of, if not the major story of the run up to the draft. At 6'6, 250 lbs, 4.4 speed, and a cannon for an arm he's an incredible physical specimen. Plus, he's not just a running QB. Scouts say he's got a good throwing motion and he was a very productive passer in college. Scouts do have questions about his footwork and accuracy at times. He also has never played in a pro style offense, so he'll have to learn how to work from under center and to read an NFL defense. That's no easy task even for QBs that have experience going through pro style progressions in college. Plus, there's always the ever present questions about his character. Trouble has seems to follow Newton wherever he goes whether it's the cheating allegations at Florida or the pay for play accusations at Auburn. That will be a major factor for any team that's looking to invest millions of dollars in him and make him the face of their franchise. Still, in a league where we teams are desperate for QBs and athleticism is becoming increasingly important Newton is certainly a guy a team could fall in love with.