Cam Newton :: Sporting News Rookie of the Year

Quite a year ... and more.  Carolina Panthers QB Cam Newton was the Heisman Trophy Winner in 2010, the No. 1 overall selection in the 2011 NFL draft, and recently added to the NFC Pro Bowl squad on Monday, Jan . 23, 2012, in place of New York’s Eli Manning ... and now, he's the Sporting News Rookie of the Year.

Sporting News 2011 Rookie of the Year

Numbers alone do not tell Newton’s story, but they were impressive. He was the first rookie to throw for more than 4,000 yards. He set the single-season record for rushing touchdowns by a quarterback.

The former Auburn star put together one of the best rookie seasons of all time, and he did it coming out of a lockout, which meant he didn’t have the typical preparation time.