Fairly/Newton observations.

Yep and if his talent translates to the NFL, he is the type of player the Oline doesn't want to see, more than say a Peppers. A DT than can collapse the middle of the pocket is huge, if he is able to do that in the NFL.

 

If they don't think there is a QB out there worth taking no.1 use this years draft to build other aspects of the team. then make sure the new head coach knows that if he wins even 1 game all next year he will be fired and draft Luck next year unless there is a way they get Vick from Philly

 

from ESPN draft page:

Auburn DT Nick Fairley* (97)
The most dominant interior defensive lineman in the country this season, Fairley has quick feet and hands and is explosive at the point of attack. He plays with a good motor and can get into the offensive backfield to disrupt plays. Fairley carries an early-first-round grade at this point, but a dominant showing in the title game could help him lock down a top-five selection.



Cam Newton QB (90)
In preparation for the Tostitos BCS National Championship Game between Auburn and Oregon (8:30 p.m. ET, ESPN), I took a closer look at three of Auburn QB Cam Newton's games from the 2010 regular season -- Clemson, South Carolina and LSU -- and got a much better feel for him as a prospect.




[+] EnlargeKevin C. Cox/Getty Images
His arm is strong but the rest of Cam Newton's passing skills are questionable.Newton (Scouts Inc. grade: 90) has been the most dominant college football player in the nation this season, and there's no doubt that his impressive size (6-foot-5½, 248 pounds), deceptive speed, elite agility and powerful running style are big reasons for his success.



He also has the height to scan the field in the passing game and the release and arm strength to make a lot of throws without setting his feet. However, because of the scheme he plays in, Newton will enter the NFL as a developmental project.



The first question I have about his game is his footwork. Newton rarely lines up under center, and when he does, the play is most often a handoff to a running back. He spends most of his time running the option and will have to work hard on dropping back from under center.



Newton's footwork development will be even more difficult because he will be forced to make much more complicated passing reads and decisions in the NFL. Right now, he frequently sees opposing defenses in one-high safety looks or even with no safety deep in order to get a numbers advantage against the run, but even then, Newton sometimes struggles to read the defense.



Against Clemson, for example, he threw two interceptions after hanging balls up in the air down the middle of the field and allowing defenders to break on the ball. Newton also threw what should have been a third interception when he failed to see a cornerback undercutting a crossing route by WR Darvin Adams, and only Adams' fantastic catch bailed him out.



You have to wonder how long it will take Newton to learn to read defenses while dropping from under center with proper footwork, go through his progressions and make quicker decisions in order to fit the ball into much tighter passing windows in the NFL.



Finally, teams considering paying Newton millions of dollars will have to consider the red flags surrounding his character and do their homework where his off-the-field issues are concerned.



Newton was arrested while at Florida on a charge of possessing a stolen laptop computer; there have been rumblings that he had academic issues while with the Gators; and the NCAA investigation surrounding his recruitment out of Blinn College and the fact that his father was attempting to solicit large sums of money in return for Cam attending Mississippi State will all be investigated thoroughly by NFL teams.



The NCAA has cleared Cam Newton of any wrongdoing in the recruitment scandal, but the influence of his father will be a consideration for NFL decision-makers.



In the end, if I were working for an NFL team, I would not put a first-round grade on Newton. He is simply too much of a developmental project in terms of passing skills and comes with too much character baggage for my liking.



He gets a fringe first-round grade from the Scouts Inc. group as a whole based on his potential, and it's likely some team will fall in love with his athleticism, measurables and arm strength, but for my money, Newton is a second-round pick. Of course, he is a junior and could always return to Auburn for another year, but that seems like a long shot for a guy who's already won the Heisman Trophy.

 

Neither of the doods discussed in this thread are worth a #1 pick.

 

Pick DaQuan Bowers with the #1 and then go get Kevin Kolb. JR gonna need to spend some money to get better.

 

Yeah that's what we need, another DE.

 

No... and no. Don't want Bowers. He's not explosive. He's a good guy to have on your roster, but not a game changer.

 

Fairley looks like the best option right now if we stay at #1. Since Luck is off the table I want a veteran QB.

 

If it were draft day and I was doing the picking Fairley would be my choice. Since we can't get the franchise QB we really need a DT like Fairley would definitley fill a need. If he can collapse the pocket with any consistency like he does at Auburn he'll make the DE's job a lot easier. We probably would see a nice uptick in sacks and QB pressures which would make the secondary's job easier as well. The fact that he plays a little dirty is just icing on the cake.

 

I agree. But not a lot to pick from there either.