Cam Newton > Colin Kaepernick

Cam Newton > Colin Kaepernick

What?! I can hear it now, there’s NO WAY that Cam Newton is a better quarterback than Colin Kaepernick. Is that the truth or is it just the ESPN hype machine? Do the numbers bear out the hype around number seven in Cardinal Red and Metallic Gold? That I'm not so sure of. The one thing I do know is they are both really talented. But who is better? Let's see what the numbers say.

WEIGH IN:

Cam Newton Height: 6-5 Weight: 245 College: Auburn Experience: 3 yrs 40yd:4.58 sec APY: $5,506,375 Draft Pick: #1 Overall (2011) Distinctions:Offensive ROY (2011), BCS National Champion (2010), Heisman Trophy winner, NJCAA National Championship (2009)

Colin Kaepernick Height: 6-4 Weight: 230 College: Nevada Experience: 3 yrs 40yd: 4.53 sec APY: $1,281,074 Draft Pick: #36 (Second Rd) Distinctions: Super Bowl appearance Single game rushing record for QB Threw for 10,000 yards in college Ran for over  4,000 yards in college

When you break it down, the two QBs are remarkably similar both physically and statistically.  Both are big freakishly athletic guys with powerful throwing arms, who symbolize the evolution of the quarterback position.  Both can get outside the pocket and run from the fastest of linebackers.  Both make safeties hesitate when they see either of these two coming.

Both also have comparably impressive resumes.  Kaepernick holds the QB single game rushing record (181 yds). Cam holds the single season QB rushing TD record (14).  Kaepernick currently holds an edge on overall achievement with a Super Bowl appearance in his first year as a starting QB.

Cam and Colin also have similar passing percentages, if you take into account that Kaepernick’s career stats are from a much smaller sample group. Newton’s 2013 season stats look like Kaepernick’s short career stats, and Kaepernick’s season stats look nearer to Newton’s career stats.

Cam Newton

	Record	Comp%	Yds	Passing TDs	INT	Rushing yards	Rushing TD	Rating
2013	6-8	64.44%	1801	13	7	251	4	97.6
Career	16-25	60.0	9,472	53	36	1698	26	86.8

Colin Kaepernick

	Record	Comp%	Yds	Passing TDs	INT	Rushing yards	Rushing TD	Rating
2013	5-2	57.1	1,584	9	5	298	3	87.6
Career	8-4	59.9	3,433	19	8	707	8	93.1

Although both came out of 2011 draft, the two young guns came onto the NFL stage under much different circumstances. This is the main distinction between the two.

Newton took over a team in shambles. After a dismal 2-14 season that landed Cam #1 overall, the Panthers also acquired a freshman coach that, until late, has been on the hot seat.  Former GM, Marty Hurney, had also just burned entirely too much money on aging organizational favorites and a stable of running backs.  Add to this a fan base who had experienced a disappointing run of unsuccessful seasons, faltered expectations, and who were forced to watch emergent names like Andrew Luck, Russell Wilson, and RGII make rookie playoff runs, the Panthers found themselves fighting uphill battles at every turn.  

The media turned on Cam last year; the fans turned on Rivera this year; and after a dismal 1-3 start, player analyst, Rodney Harrison even suggested that the Panthers bench Cam in favor of Derek Anderson--that’s right Derek Anderson.  Just a quarter into the season, it seemed that Panther hopes of success had faded and everyone’s future in the organization was in jeopardy.

Contrastingly, Kaepernick studied for 1.5 seasons behind former #1 overall pick, Alex Smith, on a playoff caliber team for over a year. Had it not been for an injury to the resurgent Smith, Kaepernick may have never even seen the playing field in 2012.  When Smith went down, Kaepernick took the helm of a 6-2-1 team powered by league’s most dominant defense.  San Francisco's strengths transcended their defense.  Protected by an elit e offensive line and coached by hard nosed Jim Harbaugh, who was even magical enough to revive Alex Smith’s career, Kaepernick started under the best of circumstances. That’s not mentioning the miracle working front office, who drafted insane talents such as Patrick Willis, Aldon Smith, Vernon Davis, and Joe Staley to name a few.  The 49ers have become the Patriots of the West.

The jury may still be out on who is better, Cam Newton or Colin Kaepernick?  We haven’t seen Newton with any any real support until this year, nor have we seen Kaepernick enough to know.

One thing is much easier to figure out--who do you think is better?  Just answer this one question: who was a better rapper, Biggie or Tupac?

Well, “if you don’t know, now you know,” this cat is East Coast all the way!  If Cam Newton and the Panthers stun the 49ers in November, Panther fans may just be singing “going, going, back, back to Cali” in January.  

The question may not be settled in November. But if the two stars showdown again in January, we will have our answer.