2011 Community Mock Draft: The Carolina Panthers Select...

With the first pick of the 2011 CSC Community Mock Draft, the Carolina Panthers (represented by DatFan) select...

Cam Newton, QB, Auburn

Cam Newton, "Entertainer and Icon." Franchise savior or another No. 1 draft bust?

I would love to select Patrick Peterson here - the biggest, baddest, greatest, goodest, bestest player in the kingdom - but in my honest opinion, Carolina is in need of a franchise quarterback.

No, Clausen is not that guy. Quarterbacks are pretty boys and "Cro-Magnon Man" Clausen is far from pretty. You can't have a QB that ugly holding up a Super Bowl trophy. The league will not allow it! Quick: name an ugly Super Bowl winning quarterback. Hard to do, huh? Sure, Terry Bradshaw was slow in a Forrest Gump sorta way but not ugly! Don't worry about Clausen; he is set for life with all the bank he has gotten from appearing in those Geico commercials. I really like the one where he is on a motorbike when the song "Hurt You" is playing. I don't want to hurt you Jimmy but it ain't happening buddy!

So, with the number one pick in the 2011 NFL draft, Roger Goodell announces Cam Newton to Carolina. Is there a risk? Yes, but the reward is much bigger than that risk. Carolina already sucks so there is nowhere to go but up. So what if Newton is the biggest draft bust since...well since big JaMarcus Russell!

Carolina is rolling the dice on a play maker. The Panthers defense is only half bad - they ranked 15th in total defense in 2010 - and much of that is because the offense puts so much pressure on the defense. The defense had 29 takeaways but the offense gave the ball back 37 times. Let me put that into perspective: the Saints only had 25 takeaways in 2010. Yet Carolina's offense ranked dead last in the entire NFL. I know DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart are not the problem. Both guys probably won't be back next year but Mike Goodson had 452 yards rushing while filling in when both were hurt. Steve Smith is not the problem.

The Panthers had nine touchdown passes in 2010; that is the problem. Carolina needs a quarterback and Cam Newton will be that person. Cam Newton will account for more then nine touchdowns in 2011 and Carolina will be a better team because of it. They just need a serviceable quarterback. Best case scenario: Newton is a great quarterback or at least serviceable like Jason Campbell. Worst case is scenario is that he is the next Ryan Leaf, David Karr or Alex Smith. Newton may not be an "Entertainer and Icon," but he'll probably be a good quarterback.

The Denver Broncos are now on the clock...

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Thanks to all the CSC members who participated in this years community mock draft. Without your help, none of this would be possible.

Below are the complete results from our community mock draft.

Catch up with all of the mock draft selections in our 2011 CSC Community Mock Draft Section.