NEW YORK -- The Carolina Panthers bet the house on Cam Newton on Thursday night, making him the No.1 overall pick at Radio City Music Hall.
The Panthers took one of the biggest risks in franchise history by drafting Newton in hopes that he will provide some of the biggest rewards. In one spectacular season at Auburn, the quarterback won both a national championship and the Heisman Trophy while accounting for 50 total touchdowns.
The Panthers made their top selection immediately Thursday night, within 10 seconds of being announced as being on the 10-minute "clock" teams get to make their first pick. Newton put on a Panthers hat that clashed with his pink tie, gave some high fives and then held up a No.1 Panthers jersey alongside NFL commissioner Roger Goodell.
The loudspeakers blared "Cat Scratch Fever" as Newton gazed around Radio City Music Hall, soaking it all in with a smile. His father and his two brothers quickly put on Panthers hats, too. Newton said he only knew for sure he was the Panthers' pick when he heard the announcement.
"My No.1 priority is to get with this organization and get going," Newton said. "I am moving to Charlotte ASAP. ... And I am not going to listen to any naysayers, because I know that's going to keep on coming."
What did Carolina get with Newton? A quarterback who, at 6 feet 5 and 250 pounds, is larger than many linebackers. A magnetic personality who - when he wants to turn it on - can light up a roomful of kids or adults. And a number of questions, including how well he can learn an offense much more complicated than what Auburn ran in 2010 and how focused he will be once he inevitably becomes a multimillionaire.
Burdened by the worst offense in the NFL last season, the Panthers went 2-14. Newton isn't necessarily expected to start right away at Carolina, which may be reticent to throw another rookie directly into the fire and returns second-year quarterback Jimmy Clausen.
As Newton's father, Cecil Newton, told me this week: "It's not just going to just be an immediate impact. You're not going to go straight into the Super Bowl and start winning. The advancement process is going to be somewhat slow for Cam."
The elder Newton, of course, expects his son to succeed. And many others do as well - assuming Newton stays out of the off-field trouble that occasionally dogged his collegiate career.
Eddie George, the former star NFL running back and now a broadcaster, told me Thursday in New York: "Cam is a beast. He's got that Magic Johnson smile, and his athleticism speaks for itself. But now the biggest test comes, because everybody is going to want to ride his coattails, to be in his entourage. How will he handle that? Is he studying film, or is he out in the clubs? Because if he focuses on his craft and hones his skills, he could one day be the best quarterback in the NFL."
Newton certainly is a lightning rod. When the NFL introduced 25 top draft prospects to the crowd at Radio City Music Hall 30 minutes before the draft began, Newton drew both the most cheers and the most boos. It reminded me of NASCAR driver introductions back when the late Dale Earnhardt would get introduced.
Only Goodell drew more boos at the draft than Newton (and the commissioner didn't receive any cheers, either), due to the current NFL and players' labor dispute. The rowdy crowd struck up a repeated chant of "We want football!"
"Me, too," Goodell said.
The Panthers' coaches want it, too, of course, because they need to get Newton started as quickly as possible. Although the NFL labor dispute is still evolving, players have been cleared to resume working out at their club's facilities. Newton can get a playbook and start studying immediately.
