ESPN ranks Cam Newton as No. 2 college quarterback since 2000 behind Baker Mayfield

According to ESPN, Baker Mayfield is the best college quarterback the sport has seen since 2000.

Lance Dawe | May 22, 2023

ESPN ranks Cam Newton as No. 2 college quarterback since 2000 behind Baker Mayfield /

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Auburn Tigers

Cam Newton will go down as one of the greatest, if not the greatest college quarterback of all-time.

Newton's 2010 season that concluded with a national title will always be remembered as one of the most dominant in college football history. He single-handedly carried the Auburn Tigers through an undefeated season and went on to become one of the NFL's best for a decade.

According to ESPN, he's the second-best college quarterback since 2000.

Bill Connelly decided to rank the top 75 college football quarterbacks since 2000 and ended up with Newton at No. 2 over great such as Joe Burrow, Tim Tebow, Vince Young,

Baker Mayfield, starting quarterback for the Oklahoma Sooners from 2014-2017, is the best QB the college game has witnessed since the turn of the century, per Connelly.

Here's what Connelly had to say about Newton:

"Ladies and gentlemen, the greatest single-season supernova the sport has seen. After two years of backing up Tebow at Florida, Newton won a juco national title at Blinn College, then landed at Auburn and almost single-handedly carried the Tigers to their first AP national title since 1957. His supporting cast was good but not nearly the caliber of Young's, Tebow's, etc., but that was fine -- he was simultaneously the best running back and quarterback in the sport. Then he was gone, off to an NFL career that has included an MVP award, more than 31,000 passing yards and a Super Bowl appearance."

According to Connelly, Newton, Young and Burrow had the best single-seasons of all-time, but Mayfield had the best career - totaling over 14,000 passing yards and 152 touchdowns. His 131 passing touchdowns are good for fourth all-time.

There's something to be said for Newton's impressive year with the Tigers, but the longevity of players like Mayfield, Young and even quarterbacks like Deshaun Watson can't be denied.

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