Cam Newton inexplicably ranked behind Eli Manning among No. 1 overall QBs

Cam Newton was ranked high among number one QB draft picks, but not quite high enough.

Dec 19, 2021; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton (1) passes the ball against the Buffalo Bills during the first half at Highmark Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-Imagn Images / Rich Barnes-Imagn Images

Cam Newton was taken by the Carolina Panthers first overall in 2011, becoming one of now 36 (soon to be 37 with Cam Ward) quarterbacks selected first overall. It's an elite club, but it doesn't have all elite members. There have been some busts, but some have been worthy of that selection. Newton is one of them.

In fact, Sports Illustrated ranked him seventh out of all of them. With Hall of Famers in front of him, it is hard to argue with that point, but there's one player who should really not be ahead of Newton: Eli Manning.

Newton has an MVP, something never even finished 10th in voting for. That alone should be enough to differentiate between who was better as a quarterback. The modern sports fan is blinded by rings, which are a team accomplishment, though, and so Manning's two Super Bowls gave him the edge.

Dec 26, 2021; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton (1) looks on in the second half against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images / Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

But aside from those two rings, which were aided supremely by elite defensive units stopping Tom Brady and a dominant New England Patriots offense not once but twice, Manning has no claim over Newton. Manning somehow won MVP in both of those Super Bowls, but his offense scored 17 and 21 points.

SI's Eva Geitheim said of Newton, "A dual-threat quarterback with unmatched speed and size, Newton became the first rookie quarterback to throw for over 4,000 yards in a season while also rushing for 706 yards, leading him to win the Offensive Rookie of the Year award. He reached his peak in 2015, leading the Panthers to a 15-1 record and Super Bowl appearance while being named first-team All-Pro and winning the NFL MVP and Offensive Player of the Year awards."

The argument for Manning was, "Manning is most famous for leading the Giants to two Super Bowl wins over the Patriots, including preventing New England from going 19-0 in 2007. Manning’s run through both games included iconic clutch moments, from the helmet catch to his touchdown pass to Mario Manningham." It's a career of playing better than his team versus two games of key moments that were aided greatly by his team. Sure, championships are all that matter, but Manning and Newton were just one of hundreds of players to be part of those teams and contribute.

It's worth mentioning, since Newton is not the only Panthers QB to be taken first overall, that Bryce Young is also on this list. Given his overall track record, he's ranked pretty low (28th, one below Caleb Williams for whatever that's worth). But it was acknowledged that he's on an upward trend and very well could rise.

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