NFL draft: The National Football League holds its draft of college players Thursday night, with Auburn quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Cam Newton the favorite to be picked No. 1 overall by the Carolina Panthers.
In his mock draft, SI.com's Don Banks says the Panthers, who earned the top pick with a league-worst 2-14 record in 2010, would trade out of the top spot if they could, but that is unlikely.
"They will pick Newton, but they'll do so with a queasy feeling in the pit of their stomachs. They know he carries risk, but they also feel they have to roll the dice and take the quarterback who has the potential to make the biggest possible impact," he writes.
The draft comes amid an off-season of labor strife in the league. A federal judge this week ruled league owners must resume business and end a lockout of players from team facilities. Owner appeals of that ruling are ongoing.
So when their names are called at Radio City Music Hall in New York City Thursday night, the collegiate stars won't know when they might first don the uniform of their NFL team or even if there will be an NFL season in 2011.
The first round of the draft begins at 8 p.m. and can be seen on the NFL Network. Second and third rounds are Friday at 6 p.m. and the fourth through seventh rounds are Saturday at noon.
Earthquake drill: Residents of 10 states from Oklahoma to South Carolina will practice earthquake safety drills as part of the Great Central U.S. Shakeout.
Organizers say more than 3 million people will participate in the event, scheduled to begin at 10:15 a.m. local time. Participants will practice the "drop, cover and hold on" technique to protect themselves in the event of an earthquake.
Government agencies, schools and universities, hospitals and businesses in Iowa, Illinois, Arkansas, Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee, Georgia and Kentucky join Oklahoma and South Carolina in Thursday's event. Indiana did its drills last week.
Voyager update: NASA updates the mission of its twin Voyager spacecraft on Thursday morning.
Since their launch 33 years ago, the spacecraft have traveled 10 billion miles to the edge of our solar system and are now heading toward interstellar space.
Besides sending information on their journey back to Earth, the spacecraft carry "a collection of images and sounds from Earth as a message to possible life elsewhere in the galaxy," NASA says.
Picking Newton #1 is a waste of a pick. He is VInce Young and Ocho Cinco rolled into one. He cares more about his image than his QB skills. He had to have the offence made "simple" at Auburn. He couldnt even call his own plays. His accuracy will make him an interception machine. And then you have his character issues, and his fathers.
Mallett is 6'6 and came from a pro system. He is very accurate and smart. If you need a QB, dont waste it on another JaMarcus Russell
if he stays healthy cam ends up in the hall of fame. so hate all you want, this kid runs on that $h!t, its his fuel for greatness
Cam Newton is only out for money, he has the physical ability and football know-how to be successful. But there have been several folks close to Cam claiming he seems to be one of those guys content to have a multi-million dollar contract and waste into mediocrity. No surprise.
Cam will fill seats, take that haters from bammer land. Dodn't you have a few oaks of your own to fix this morning instead of trolling and hating on anything Auburn?
Throw the "hater" moniker around all you want, but history shows that low wunderlich scoring, run first QB's like Cam are more likely to turn up on "biggest draft bust" lists than HOF candidates. For evidence, please refer to Vince Young and Jamarcus Russell.
He's just a gang-banger in a uniform. He is not the example we need for our young people.
He has people in the right places, and that's why he is gaining fame.
such a shame.
I am about to till the NFL to bag it......I am sick of all the crime in the NFL.
offense genius
Brits and Canadians spell it offence. Americans spell it offense.
He is like Vince Young and Ocho Cinco rolled into one??? What does that mean? You kinda sound like a racist...
Hardly #1. He isn't even worth a first round pick. I feel sorry for any team stupid enough to waste a first rounder on this kid. I sure hope it is not my Hawks.
Off to interstellar space to await Captain Kirk.
I am going to feel sorry for the fans of the team that picks this clown.
Cam the BUST.
I know, right?
The next Vince what'shisname from texas!
If you want a Q.B. that bad trade for Kolb! That way you keep a #1 pick,get a stud OT and you have a verteran QB! Give philly your #2.#4 and#6 picks
So true. My heartfelt condolences to everyone.
Cam Newton is a special player and will rise despite the pressure. No doubt in my mind that he'll prove all the glass half empty people who call themselves "experts" wrong. Make your millions and make Carolina relevant with class Cam.
you must be an Auburn fan. I had a buddy of mine whose an obsessed Notre Dame fan say the same exact thing about Jimmy Clausen last year.
Not an Auburn fan but I'm a good judge of talent. Cam is a leader and has shown that he is good under pressure. On top of that, he has thick skin. Do you honestly believe that those characteristics will fade away once he takes his first snap? Give me a break and tone down the hate. You reek of it.
IS VOYAGER STILL going and sending info?
Ooooo: the troll out already. Dick.
Panthers making another bad move!
http://www.SPORTSHATE.com where FANS hate on Teams and Players!!
I'm never sold on over hyped QBs or WRs. They come into the league with $50million and have yet to play against real pro defenses. I care more about who the Lions pick anyways. We need big bodies up front and every defensive position.
Voyager may never be found by anyone except future humans. It's like putting a message in a bottle and hoping the sea carries it to a large coastal city. Still pretty cool though.
No sympathy for whatever team is stupid enough to waste a high draft pick on Newton. I hope he proves everyone wrong but history says he most likely won't.
All, all the Auburn trolls are out first thing this morning to defend their highly paid free agent from last year. Don't you have more important things to worry about, like helping those in your state pick up after the tornadoes there last night?
Also, Cam is overrated, Dalton and Mallett are underrated.
ROLL TIDE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Cam is an athlete. The other top QBs are ONLY QBs.
We'll see how he does, but he has the right stuff if he can get on a team with a half-decent O-line.
Also, he is no longer run-first. But he could still scare the crap out of most defenses.
If the Panthers draft him their wont be a live tree left in Charlotte.