Cam Newton had a pretty sensational season that nearly resulted in him lifting the Super Bowl for the Carolina Panthers. However, he fell short, but the 27-year-old former Auburn quarterback has all the tools, on and off the field, for continuos success throughout the rest of his NFL career. He entered the NFL as a top prospect after a brilliant collegiate career, however, he has excelled. Not only is he a star on the field, but with television, sponsorship and media endorsements and advertisements galore, he’s quickly becoming the face of the NFL. Many want to be the next Cam Newton, and with his incoming success, he’ll inspire future Auburn prospects to join the college, hoping to follow in his footsteps.
One man- well, boy- that’s already proven this is Joey Gatewood, a 16-year-old incoming Auburn recruit. Just how important is Cam’s future success tot he future of Auburn?
Cam was unbeatable for much of the season, and it led to kids aspiring to be the ‘next Newton’, and that’s exactly the kind of promise Auburn can profit from.
Cam is highly tipped to win a Super Bowl, to grace the cover of Madden video game, and to take over the NFL both on and off the field in the coming 5 years. When his chances are compared to Betway’s odds, it’s clear to see he is expected to succeed. He has the tools to do just that, and the more success he has, the more Auburn can take pride in the development they helped him with, and what fruits they’ll be rewarded with from his success.
Cam is not only a fast, strong running QB, but he’s able to be a perfect pocket-passer too. As he’s aged he’s continued to add tools to his offensive arsenal, and it’s all made for his better overall gameplay. He is a leader on and off the field, and he has the toughness needed for NFL success. With his Auburn background he has that already, and he will, in all likeliness, will learn from his Super Bowl setback against the Denver Broncos. Some walk away weaker, but as he’s done throughout his career, he will walk away stronger.
To some, Cam might be a thing of the past. However, he’s still very much important to the present and future of Auburn. Joey Gatewood is a 16-year-old that many have already labelled as being the next Cam. The hype surrounding this teenager is amazing, and Auburn fans are already excited to see what he can bring when he joins in 2018.
The prospect already stands as a 6-foot-4, 226-pound machine, and on that already looks destined to one day join Cam in the NFL.
When he was asked about why he chose Auburn, he explained, “I took a visit for the first time last summer. I had high expectations for Auburn because I knew it was going to be one of my favorites. When I got out of the car and they showed me around, it was much better than I thought it was going to be. The atmosphere is great, the coaches are great and I have a good relationship with all of them. The students are nice. It’s just a great place. I visited other schools and I just knew they weren’t going to be that way. And I feel like I fit their offence.”
He didn’t shy away from the Newton comparisons, adding, “Oh yeah, Cam Newton. Cam’s my idol. I’m a huge fan. He’s been my idol since like sixth grade. I had no clue who Auburn was until he got there… I didn’t know much about college football. I only knew about Florida and that was really it. I didn’t really focus on the school when he was there because I was young, but when I got the chance to go down there I was like, ‘Cam went to school here, that’s pretty cool.’”
Cam is still holding his own at Auburn, inspiring the future QB’s that will one day replace him at both college and NFL level.
Gatewood went on to say “When I first walked into Malzahn’s office we sat down and we talked with my mom and all. I remember he was like, ‘You’re the closest thing I’ve seen to Cam as a recruit since he was here. You saw how he Cam excelled in this offense.’ I really think I can excel in the offense too. I have the same three goals as he did when he came: Win the Heisman, win a national championship and become a first-round draft pick at No. 1.”
It’s taken time, but Gatewood is the first of many QB’s evidently inspired by Cam. With only an 11-year gap, it’s clear that this is something to watch out for. Over the next decade or two, kids will be inspired by his Auburn and Panthers success, wanting to follow in Cam’s footsteps.
Whatever he achieves, he’s already inspiring many below him. However, if he continues to find NFL stardom with ease, the success Auburn will have with its future prospects like Gatewood will be ever-improving.
Long after his departure for the NFL, Cam is still making Auburn a college powerhouse, and a team to watch out for over the next decade.
