The 2000s have had it all regarding college football, but the most successful season arguably belongs to former Auburn football star Cam Newton. In 2010, Newton earned All-American honors, won the Heisman Trophy Award, and led the Auburn Tigers to a national championship victory despite housing nearly zero NFL talent. On Monday, according to the Twitter account College Sports Only, ESPN reshuffled their top 25 college football players of the 2000s, with Newton clocking in at the third spot.
Newton trails only fellow signal-caller Baker Mayfield for the top spot among quarterbacks, while Nebraska’s Ndamukong Suh ranks as the best college football player of the 2000s. Newton is Auburn’s only representative on the top 25 college football players of the 2000s.
Auburn Football QB Cam Newton: ESPN Shows High Praise
Per ESPN, Auburn football quarterback Cam Newton is the third-best college football player of the 2000s. ESPN greatly respects the former Auburn passer, ranking him higher than two-time BCS champ Tim Tebow, former Texas star Vince Young, and fellow Heisman winnings signal-callers Lamar Jackson, Kyler Murray, and Joe Burrow.
ESPN's new rankings of the Top 25 CFB players of the 2000s: 📜
1. DT Ndamukong Suh (Nebraska)
2. QB Baker Mayfield (Oklahoma)
3. QB Cam Newton (Auburn)
4. QB Vince Young (Texas)
5. S Ed Reed (Miami)
6. QB Tim Tebow (Florida)
7. RB Reggie Bush (USC)
8. OT Bryant McKinnie (Miami)… pic.twitter.com/xTlzsQRGNi— College Sports Only (@CollegeSportsO) July 29, 2024
Among the ESPN top 25 college football players of the 2000s, Newton is one of two players to have only one impact season. Alongside Burrow, Newton became a fixture for only one season in college football. Despite the short run, Burrow and Newton pulled off an undefeated season and Heisman-winning campaign in the same year.
Newton: Legendary 2010 Season
After an abrupt departure from the University of Florida and one season at Blinn College, Cam Newton landed with Auburn football for the 2010 season. Newton won the starting job, going 9-for-14 for 186 yards and three touchdowns in the season debut against Arkansas State. He added 15 carries for 171 yards and two scores on the ground. In the SEC opener against Mississippi State the following week, Newton tallied 206 total yards and two touchdowns. Auburn’s first true ranked test came against South Carolina in late August, with the dual-threat Newton accounting for five total touchdowns, highlighted by 25 carries for 176 yards on the ground.
Newton’s best stretch came in mid-September, with the eventual Heisman winner rushing for 603 yards and nine touchdowns against Kentucky on the road, a ranked Arkansas squad at home, and the juggernaut LSU Tigers. In Auburn football’s biggest game of the regular season, Newton went 13-of-20 for 216 yards and three touchdowns against rival Alabama. Newton also gutted out 39 yards and a score on 22 rush attempts. After a stellar showing in the SEC title game and winning the 2010 Heisman Trophy Award, Newton went 20-of-34 for 265 yards and two scores against Oregon in the title game. He also added 64 yards via the ground in the eventual victory.
For More Football News:
For More Football News and to dive into the excitement, follow me on Twitter at @alec_musa. Let’s get the conversation rolling! I’m all ears for your thoughts and insights. You can also reach out to me via email at musaalec@gmail.com. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest college and NFL news, click here!
