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Cam Newton has been something else this year. He won a Heisman, battled controversy for the second time in his collegiate career and rushed the pants off opponents. Later in the season, he displayed an uncanny ability to also throw the ball, and holds the crown for most efficient passer in the nation.

Overall Strength

Cam Newton can rush, better than most running backs even. He's 6'6", 250 lbs. He's big enough to run over opponents, fast enough to run around them and tall enough to fall forward on every carry for another couple yards. He can throw the long ball, dart the short pass or put just enough heat under it for an easy catch. He's stronger, faster, and more intimidating than McElroy in every sense.

Though Michael Vick is having success with running the ball, most NFL teams are very skittish about sending their most expensive player into the maw of the opposition to get hurt. Dual-threat quarterbacks are not as popular in the NFL compared to colleges that wont lose millions of dollars on an injury.

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Decision Making

Cam Newton has a high completion percentage, and a low interception count. He's passed for fewer yards than McElroy, but thrown for more touchdowns. Newton has made some risky deep throws and come up lucky. The Hail Mary in the SEC championship is a perfect example. Overall, however, Newton makes smart decisions.

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Leadership, Fan Popularity and Poise Under Pressure

In his short time at Auburn, Cam Newton has won over the hearts of his fans and teammates. His chronic charming smile on the field, which can often be seen while he is running the ball, is a force on its own.

In contrast, however, he has estranged much of the nation with controversy, which was found to not be his fault. The eyes of the nation, however, see guilt differently than the NCAA. Regardless, any team that had Newton slaying opponents would look past just about anything. Look at how Steelers fans see Ben Roethlisberger, or how Eagles fans see Michael Vick.

McElroy is not as big a star in the fan's eyes, but he can lead a team as well as anyone in the nation, and they will follow. They are both excellent field generals.

The most interesting comparison is their calmness under the gun. They both showed it in the Iron bowl, just in different years. In 2009 McElroy led his team on a late fourth quarter drive and burned over eight minutes off the clock by taking his time marching the full length of the field. He did so without flinching and left Auburn with less than 90 seconds to score. He performed similar magic against Arkansas in a 2010 comeback to win.

In the 2010 Iron Bowl, Cam Newton shocked the 'Bama Nation by overcoming a 27-0 deficit to win 28-27.

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