SB Nation Blogger Mock: The Arizona Cardinals Pick

The Arizona Cardinals, represented by Jess Root of Revenge of the Birds, are next up in the SB Nation Blogger mock, and the choice was Cam Newton, QB, Auburn.  This is playing out perfectly so far for the Titans.  There will be no temptation to take a quarterback with the 8th pick, and three of the first five players selected have been offensive players.

Reasoning from Jess after the jump.

Newton was not the number one choice for the team, as most would probably imagine. It just happened to be, though, that their top four picks went one through four in the draft. Based on the available talent and team needs, Newton was the best option.

NFP Scouting Report:

Impression: A boom or burst quarterback who is dripping with upside and has the skill set to be as good as he wants to be. Has a list of character concerns already and figuring out if he has matured from his off the field issues is key. He's a guy who his teammates seem to rally around, but you need to have a gut feeling about this guy in order to feel confident taking him in round one.

MTD Scouting report:

Newton is a rare talent. With his size, athleticism and arm strength, Newton has more potential than any player in this year's draft. That alone will get him picked in the first round. He also displays great leadership skills that are impossible to teach. In only one year at Auburn, the Tigers rallied around Newton and he led them to a national title.

But his negatives may scare some teams off completely. Newton will have to greatly refine all of his mechanical flaws if he wants to succeed in the pros. His field vision and pocket poise are average, at best. Then there are the questions about his character – fair or not. He's had multiple off-field issues and has bounced around from Florida to Blinn Junior College to Auburn.