Cam Newton #1 Player On NFL G.M. Big Boards.

Is this mass of adoring fans soon to be of Panther Silver and Blue?

I found some interesting gems in Tony Pauline’s Insider report
The biggie is this:

"“Last week in San Antonio at least six different teams said they rank Auburn quarterback Cam Newton as the number one prospect in the draft. The opinions were comprised from scouts, personnel directors and a few coaches. All had Newton rated clearly higher than Da’Quan Bowers, Nick Fairley, Marcel Dareus and competing signal caller Blaine Gabbert. We hear the Miami Dolphins have been inquiring heavily into Newton at this stage of the game.”"

For all of the talk about how no QB is worth a top 10 pick from the draftnik community, it seems that N.F.L. teams, are not on board with that idea. AT LEAST 6 teams believe Cam Newon is the #1 player in the entire draft…that’s just teams that have admitted this to Tony Pauline. I thought the Newton Hype machine had died down, but it appears, that it hasn’t even yet begun. Based on a little informal poll I just did Newton was the second least likely QB to be drafted in the top 12 by our readers….but maybe it’s just time to admit that regardless of how much people hate mocking high potential/high busts players to our favorite teams picking high…it’s going to happen.

I’m going on a not-so-bold prediction: Someone’s going to fall in love with Cam Newton (for good reasons) and take him in the top twelve.

Pauline, also mentions that Newton seems unlikely to throw at the combine

More Draft related news after the jump (Amukamara not a top 10 prospect? Jimmy Smith Rising? Mikel LeShoure and DeMarucs Love)

*Yawn* the Broncos are also apparently interested in Patrick Peterson…in other boring news so are the Buffalo Bills, the Bengals, the Cardinals….the Cowboys….just ask Patrick Peterson. He’ll tell you: Everyone is intersted in Patrick Peterson.

The next item is something I’ve been suspecting for awhile…as I had Jimmy Smith 19th overall in my last mock to the Giants…but maybe I need to bump him even higher to the Texans or Lions.

"“Sources have told us Colorado cornerback Jimmy Smith, who received the scorn of scouts after he did not travel to the Senior Bowl, has looked sensational in workouts as he prepares for the combine.”"

A little more Bold prediction: Smith is going to be a top 20 pick in this draft. Just start putting him there now. He’s a cornerback that is 6-2, fast, and athletic, and might run a 4.4 40. That sound you hear is Jimmy Smith’s boat full of money coming into shore.

Rob Rang released his top 32 players, citing five players he says didn’t make it into his top 32: Justin Houston, Drake Nevis, Jonathan Baldwin, Ryan Williams, and Martez Wilson.

He writes that Wilson was the closest of the bunch to his top 32 players, and calling Houston “one of the most overrated draft prospects at this point”

Rang also writes that Derrell Johnson Koulianos has had three of the four charges brought up against him down to one: a misdemeanor possession charge: he will be on probation for a year, but could be released of his probation within 6 months if he keeps his nose clean, so to speak.

Lastly from Rang, Prince Amukamara plans on doing all the workouts at the combine, which is good after Wes Bunting in a recent column deemed Amukamara unfit for a top-ten pick because of his lack of speed. This is something I’ve seen pop up from time to time. Bunting compares him to players like Antrel Rolle and Malcom Jenkins who have both become safeties in this league, which is where he think Amukamara fits best.

I love Wes Bunting’s stuff and think he is one of the best draft analysts out there, but I think he’s being a bit unfair here. Joe Haden also had questionable straight line speed, but looks like a pretty good player now. Terrell Thomas has questionable straight line speed, but is becoming one of the better cornerbacks in the entire league. Speed isn’t everything. Amukamara is physical, supports the run game well, and has fluid hips and body control. Bunting says he thinks he can be a good professional football player, but I think dismissing his potential at cornerback because of speed concerns is a bit misguided…because Bunting seems to be solely relying on his speed as a detriment to his ability to be “more than a solid starting cornerback”.

Instincts are more important: Asante Samuel isn’t the fastest CB in the world either, but he’s one of the 5 best cornerbacks in the league (arguably) .

I’m just not in agreement with Bunting Today I guess.

The next thing from Bunting is an article titled: Mikel Leshoure: the Draft’s best back no one is talking about”, which I thought could be a good article, until I read the article.

Because I actually follow the draft, I was thinking before I read the article, he must be talking about LeShoure as a top twenty pick because I always seem Leshoure being mocked in the early parts of round two. Well, I was wrong. Here’s what Buntin said are possible destinations for LeShoure

Some possible destinations…

"New Orleans Saints: Late first roundNew England Patriots: Late first round/Early second roundCincinnati Bengals: Early second roundWashington Redskins: Mid second round"

Umm…Ok? That’s exactly where everyone was talking about LeShoure since at least his bowl game if not sooner.
And then Bunting says

"Overall, I see Leshoure coming in and contributing early in his NFL career as that powerful No. 2 back for an NFL offense. (…)However, in year two I think the team that drafts him can expect Leshoure to take over the starting gig"

Isn’t this EXACTLY what everyone is saying about LeShoure?

If you want to title an article like that you should take it a step-further, Wes, like drafttek.com who I saw mocked Mikel Leshoure to the Giants for 3-4 weeks in a row (now he’s moved down to New England in the first round). Drafttek.com, by the way was the second place I saw to put Jimmy Smith in the top 20. Right now he’s 13 at the Lions…the first place I saw all up-ons Jimmy Smith was Seahawksdraftblog.

Oh, one other thing from Rob Rang.

Demarcus Love stock is down, down, down.

"“We hear scouts were so turned off by the performance of Arkansas offensive lineman DeMarcus Love at the Senior Bowl that a number of teams now have his teammate, Ray Dominguez, rated higher on draft boardsAlso, we have a new twitter page, so come follow usby following the link to @NFL_MocksWe are very excited about this site, and the new staff that we have implemented. You can also follow us individually:@MHR_Sayre@ballinnickcast"