The “Auburn kid” is Greg Robinson (6-5, 315), a redshirt sophomore. After turning in a superb performance against Missouri’s Kony Ealy on Dec.7, he might become one of the first offensive linemen to enter the NFL as a redshirt sophomore.

“He’s a stud,” said one scout. “Left tackle. You’re talking about a ton of athleticism, size, strength. He’s not getting a lot of attention because people don’t realize he’s a redshirt. Not quite sure why (Gene) Chizik redshirted him. I think that was a big mistake. He’s in the top 10, 15 easy if he comes out.”

Read more from Journal Sentinel: http://www.jsonline.com/tablet/sports/early-look-at-the-nfl-draft-b99168238z1-236899801.html#ixzz2oJOlpatL

Here is what his coach had to say after dismissing him from the program:

In somewhat surprising news, Arkansas coach Gus Malzahn announced Sunday night that Dyer had been dismissed from the team for an undisclosed violation of team rules.

“I am truly disappointed that it didn’t work out here at ASU for Mike,” said Malzahn in the statement. “I wish Mike nothing but the best in the future.”

5 words of advice for Mr Dyer: Get ready for the draft.

Dyer, who came to Arkansas State from Auburn, had his waiver for immediate eligibility denied by the NCAA earlier this month. In transferring down a level, Dyer could play right away.

A decision should be made soon one way or the other.

On the football side, Wilson is garnering a ton of attention from programs that feel they are a QB away from a national title.  Wisconsin and Auburn are the leading candidates to sign him for this fall.  Wilson has already visited both campuses and left the internet buzzing with glowing reviews following his stay on campus.

CBS reported via an unnamed source, “He definitely liked Madison better than Auburn.”

On the baseball side, Russell has already been drafted by the Colorado Rockies and claims he hasn’t decided which sport he would like to play going forward.

If you have to make me bet, I’d put my dinero down on Russell throwing passes for the Badgers this fall.  I’m not sure if the shoes of an ICON AND ENTERTAINER are those you want to fill.

Here is the ICON AND ENTERTAINER himself, along with Von Miller, Shane Vereen, and other rookies practicing their best singing skills at a rookie photo shoot. I posted another video of this a few days ago, with just Newton. Couldn’t leave the other guys and their other “talents” out as well.

If Cam Newton doesn’t make it in the NFL, he may have a future in GrindTime or the Ultimate Rap League with these freestyle skills.

“When they see me, they be like man he sick
awww man, the number one draft pick
Yeah, I got the swag
Yeah, I dont mean to brag!”

Is it the right pick? Probably not.  Not that Cam isn’t a great prospect, but he is no where near a polished product and Carolina drafted not one, not two, but three collegiate QBs last year.  So to solve their problem of not having a QB they draft a fourth? (YES, Armanti counts)  It really doesn’t make sense.  There are just too many question marks.  If you aren’t going to be a good team in 2011 anyways, why not take the highest rated guy on the board (Patrick Peterson or Marcel Dareus) and get a QB next year?

Who knows, maybe the Panthers will strike gold with “Cam Juice.”  Or maybe they will look back and say “we should have just taken Patrick Peterson.”

By now you all have seen the Jon Gruden QB camp segment with Cam Newton.  If you go to any football forums people have been ripping Cam for everything from what he wore to his laxed attitude. The guy clearly lives in his own world, whether that is good or bad.  He is bizarre, yes, but still the guy is 6’5 235 and won the Heisman and National Title.

On the show Gruden tried his best to bring Cam out of “Cam World” and into Planet Earth but there was no getting through.  Here are 5 things that had me cringing as I watched the program.

1. Could Not Name an Auburn Play at Short Notice

Really? The QB could not give Gruden any play?  ANY play? I know Auburn ran a different kind of play system but you’re on national TV for goodness sake.  Make something up!

Gruden: Give me a play at Auburn

Newton: Ahhhhh….. ummm… you got me.

2. Used the Analogy of a Gun

Gruden: What do you think about the critics?

Newton: I like to use the analogy of a simple gun.

Gruden: You like to… WHAT? Say that again?!!!!!!

And this ties into number three…

3. Didn’t Recognize the MANY Times Gruden Tried to Climb Him Out a Hole

Jon Gruden tried his best.  He covered for Cam on the initial playcall question, then gave Cam an out from the gun analogy.  But Cam living in Cam World….

4. Didn’t Take Responsibility For Changing The Play in the National Championship

On the goal line, Cam Newton was instructed to take a knee and set it up for his field goal kicker.  Instead, he changed the play with his interior linemen and tried to sneak the ball in for a score.

Not trusting your coach? In the NFL, that can get you a permanent seat on the bench.  No coach is going to pony his future to a QB that changes plays on  him.  Not to mention, Cam never took full responsibility for it.  He simply said “I know it wasnt the right thing to do…” and justified why he did what he did.

5. Wore His Sunday’s Best to a Football Meeting

I’m being funny here, but I have read that people think that Cam was playing up for the cameras via his wardrobe.  Knowing that Gruden was going to have him run a workout, why not just show up in some athletic gear like the other QB’s did?

It is clear that Cam Newton is going to continue to live by the rules of “Cam World”, for better or worse.  If you wish to see the program here some of it:

1. Patrick Peterson
2. Von Miller
3. AJ Green
4. Nick Fairley
5. Marcel Dareus

What is interesting to me is where is Blaine Gabbert? This guy is supposed to be soooo good and the #1 pick, yet a week away from the draft Kiper doesn’t even have him in the top 5? Isn’t that something. These analysts keep talking out both sides of their mouths when it comes to Gabbert and Cam Newton. One second they love them, the next they don’t. Oh well. The draft is this Thursday at 8pm on ESPN.

This is a question that many people are asking themselves after watching the “Brady 6” segment on ESPN.  Tom Brady, the greatest quarterback of this generation, ended up sliding past every single team in the NFL 5 times before hearing his name called in the 2000 NFL Draft.  Just how does this happen?

It happens all the time actually.  Teams outguess themselves.  Not just pro teams but collegiate teams.  Drew Henson was younger, taller, and stronger than Brady at Michigan and “looked the part” but wasn’t a good QB.  Brady simply won games and pundits like Mel Kiper said things like “he has no upside” on the next level.  It really is the world’s most expensive guessing game when you miss on these guys.

Guys like Vince Young and Kyle Orton simply win games (Kyle when he has a half decent running game… another post for another day…)  However, why are their teams are already looking for guys to replace them?  When did WINNING FOOTBALL GAMES become the most overlooked stat of a quarterback?  Spare me the Tebow hype when answering this question too; we all know he is getting a fair one. My focus is on those players that DON’T get a fair one.

Guys like Brady at Michigan.  Guys like Matt Flynn.  Guys like Colt McCoy.  All these guys did was win on the college level but tumble like a brick in the draft because they don’t have big hands or a huge arm.  Jamarcus Russell can throw the ball further than everyone, and he and I completed the same number of passes last year in the NFL.

To wrap this rant up, I’ll say this.  When we are nitpicking these guys to death one thing we have to take notice of is how do they lead their teams?  How does their teammates respond to them in the huddle?  How many close games do they win?  The answer to these questions should be put a lot higher on the totem pole than hand size, bench press, and 40 times.  At least in my opinion.

Now, why would this show air and why would it focus on Auburn University?  Could it be because Auburn’s most recent QB Cam Newton is the most polarizing figure in the 2011 draft? Very possibly so.  It just seems like a very thinly veiled attack on this young man during what should be his proudest moment.

Yes, even I in the past was extremely critical of the “pay for play” scandal that Cam and his dad Cecil Newton were engaged in.  Everyone raised an eyebrow to the situation when it happened.  But now that it is over and Cam has spoken to all 32 NFL teams personally, along with private workouts with the Panthers, Broncos (sorry Tim), Bills, and Vikings, why should pundits continue to berate this point?  If he took the money then so be it.  Auburn will be evacuated of their National Title when the time is due.  It won’t have any effect on whether he gets the consistent accuracy to be a Pro Bowl QB or not.

Another story came out on Cam’s personality in which he was described as being fake and contrived.  Really?  How would a writer that doesn’t know Cam personally be able to tell that?  Now I admit I have said in the past that Cam may just be a “big fat liar” but as of right NOW we do not know.  Nothing has come out that has contradicted his story, no matter how much it still does not make sense.

Another story came out this week about Patrick Peterson.  A trainer allegedly negotiated a “pay for play” deal with Texas A&M that didn’t go through.  Though Peterson is not guilty of anything, it just makes you wonder.  Between that and his single digit wonderlic score why do people still place this cornerback as a top 3 “can’t miss” prospect?  What is so different between him and Cam Newton?

It is time to let Cam Newton’s past play out in the hands of those responsible for vetting Auburn University and focus on what really matters.