Never been a draft junkie, so maybe I'm missing someone here. But it seems that, quite clearly, Cam Newton and Ryan Mallett are the two most fascinating figures in the 2011 draft.
Newton, as you probably know by now, ranks among my favorite college football players ever. Right up there with Herschel, Bo, Barry and a few others.
But I'm about as down on Newton as an NFL quarterback as I was high on him as a college quarterback.
The kid is a certified freak, and there's no doubt about that. There's also no doubt he has an NFL arm. But as perfect and as unstoppable a fit as he was in Gus Malzahn's offense at Auburn, the misdirection-based scheme didn't do much to prepare him for the NFL.
Part of the brilliance of Malzahn's system is its simplicity. Malzahn is the one pushing all the buttons and pulling the levers from the sideline, and the system for delivering the plays to Newton and the other 10 guys -- via large flip cards that are presented by a group of managers -- eliminates a lot of the mental clutter that can restrict execution.
It's not as if a quarterback can master the system right away, and that's illustrated by Tajh Boyd's struggle during the spring to slow down mentally enough to make crisp decisions as he learns Chad Morris' offense. I'd guess Newton had some of the same issues starting out last spring at Auburn.
But as crazy as all the formations and motions and misdirection look, it's mostly window dressing built to deceive and disguise a small number of basic plays. That, coupled with Malzahn's devotion to stretching defenses not only horizontally but vertically, makes the offense an F-16 racing against commuter prop planes when you add Newton to the mix.
But there's so much more to being an NFL quarterback, and that much was exposed in full color when Newton sat down with Jon Gruden for this illuminating chat.
Newton is getting hammered for this, and predictably some of the criticism is excessive. But if I'm a team -- say, the Carolina Panthers -- that's seriously considering taking him with a high selection, I don't know how the following exchanges don't trigger sirens and red flashing lights:
Gruden asks Newton for something "a little verbal" from Auburn's playbook. Newton's answer is stunning.
"Wow, you're really putting me on the spot."
Gruden then points out that Auburn doesn't huddle, and Newton takes the bailout and runs with it.
"Our method is simplistic equals fast. It's so simple as far as you just look to the sideline and you see 36 on the board, and that's a play!"
Yikes.
So now we turn to Mallett, another certified freak. He's tall and has a Dan Marino arm, but his stock has been diminished by various off-the-field stuff that includes an arrest for public intoxication and rumors of drug use (his lack of mobility hasn't helped, either).
Mallett also sat down with Gruden. And if Newton flunked the mini-exam, Mallett aced it.
Reaction No. 1 to this clip: Florida might've really messed up by not giving Bobby Petrino a blank check.
Reaction No. 2: Mallett is everything Newton is not when it comes to X's and O's diagnosis and decision-making. He's played in a pro-style system for a brilliant, demanding coach, and he grew up the son of teachers and coaches. You see that wealth of knowledge in Mallett's impressive, on-the-spot breakdown of a certain play.
Someone needs to take a gamble on this kid. But it's easy for me to say when it's someone else's millions.
LW
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