Super Bowl 50: Best college player from each Power Five conference
By Dustin Hull
SEC: Cam Newton, QB—Auburn Tigers (and Florida)
While Peyton Manning has been one of the greatest quarterbacks of all-time, the new MVP Cam Newton will play the biggest factor in Super Bowl 50.
The former Auburn quarterback started his college career at Florida, where he cheated academically and reportedly stole another student’s laptop. He’d later by a part of a whole new scrutiny with the “pay-for-play” scandal at Auburn. Once he finally was on the field at Auburn, amidst such controversy, he flourished.
His Heisman and BCS National Championship run helped stiff-arm many of his critics, but other detractors have yet to give up their negative scrutiny. Despite the questions that still lingered, Carolina wasn’t about to pass up on him as the number one pick.
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Some said his talents would diminish with the defenses at the pro level while others said he was a once-in-a-generation NFL prospect. While his rookie campaign was a bit erratic and would be followed by three years not far from mediocrity at quarterback, Newton’s legs continued to bring another element to the Panthers offense. And then everything finally came together for Newton in 2015, one of the better all-around performances in NFL history.
He’ll be facing his biggest challenge of all against Denver’s defense. Not even the Alabama game when Auburn was 24 points down, nor the nail-biter against Oregon in the BCS National Championship can compare.
We’ll see where it all leads for every one of these former college stars as they get ready for kickoff on Super Bowl Sunday.