The Secret Athlete

I want to lay down some ground rules before you read this article. First, I am not writing this article to say that I wish we had another quarterback. Second, I am also not writing this to say that this other quarterback is better than the one that we currently have. This piece is mainly about a quarterback who has similar measureables and abilities as Cam Newton, but doesn't get enough credit for that. Now let's begin....

Some Carolina Panthers fans still have a bad taste in their mouth from when Andrew Luck decided to go back to Stanford for another year. Andrew Luck most likely was going to be the Panthers number one pick in the 2011 NFL Draft. Instead of drafting Luck, the Panthers selected Cam Newton with the number one pick in that draft.

Coming into the draft, Newton was known as one of the most athletically gifted quarterbacks in the history of the NFL Draft. Draft analysts said that he was quick, could evade the pass rush, and had a strong arm.

Andrew Luck was classified as a protypical pro-style quarterback who can sit in the pocket and make the right reads. He was known as a smart pocket passer, who can make all of the necessary throws. The draft analysts were also right about this, but they forget to mention one thing.

After reading the descriptions above, which quarterback sounds more like an athlete to you? You probably are saying the name, “Cam Newton.” Well you are right if you look at those two statements. But you will be surprised when you look at the actual data between the two quarterbacks.

Believe it or not, Andrew Luck and Cam Newton are both dual threat quarterbacks, and this is why I believe that…..

Here are their rushing statistics over the past three (2012-2014) seasons:

Cam Newton – 341 attempts 1,865 rush yards 19 touchdowns 5.4 average

Andrew Luck – 189 attempts 905 rush yards 12 touchdowns 4.8 average

Cam Newton has more than double the amount of rush yards, but that is because of the type of offense that the Panthers run. Both offenses are designed to play to each quarterbacks strength. Newton and Luck both do a great job at extending plays. They both have the athletic ability to get out of the pocket, and make the defenders think twice before pursuing them. They also use their large bodies to break tackles and get through the creases.

Here is more data prove that they are both athletes....

This is a comparison of NFL Combine numbers and measureables between the two quarterbacks.

Cam Newton

  • Height: 6’5”

  • Arm Length: 33 ¾”

  • Weight: 248 LBS.

  • Hands: 9 7/8”

  • 40 Yard Dash: 4.59 seconds

  • Vertical: 35 inches

  • Broad Jump: 126 inches

Andrew Luck

  • Height: 6’4”

  • Arm Length: 32 5/8”

  • Weight: 234 LBS.

  • Hands: 10”

  • 40 Yard Dash: 4.67 seconds

  • Vertical: 36 inches

  • Broad Jump: 124 inches

I was just as surprised at the outcome after looking at the NFL Combine measureables above. I bet you didn't think that Andrew Luck was just as tall, and as big as Cam Newton. If Newton and Luck competed at the same NFL Combine, scouts would of had a tough time trying to figure out who was who on paper. They are both similar in height, arm length, and hand size. They also almost had the same vertical and broad jump. The biggest difference between the two was Cam Newton's weight. He weighed 10 more pounds than Andrew Luck.

The biggest surprise to me was Andrew Luck's vertical. He jumped higher than Cam Newton. It was only by one inch, but it was higher than the most athletically gifted quarterback in the history of the draft.

After learning about this I wonder if the Indianapolis Colts will let Andrew Luck run more. Are you convinced that Andrew Luck is as athletically gifted as Cam Newton?

By Justin Raymond

Follow Me On Twitter @JayRay19