By:  Bryson Rominger, Contributing Writer

It is easy for one to see that the Carolina Panthers and the Cincinnati Bengals made very wise decisions in who they drafted in the first round of the NFL Draft back in April.  Even though the Panthers currently have a 3-8 record, Cam Newton, the former Heisman Trophy winner from Auburn, has brought more excitement to Panthers fans than they have had since their Super Bowl run in 2003.  Andy Dalton, the quarterback drafted out of Texas Christian University, has become a young superstar in Cincinnati, leading the Bengals to a 7-4 record and putting them in the playoff hunt.

Now, many people debate whether the Offensive Rookie of the Year Award should go to Cam Newton or Andy Dalton.  Newton has already broken several records as a rookie and it is very likely that he will break more, but the Panthers are still 3-8.  He broke Peyton Manning’s record for yards thrown in one’s first game by passing for 422 yards in week one against the Arizona Cardinals.  He has also reached the end zone 10 times as a runner, giving him the most rushing touchdowns for a rookie quarterback since the NFL merger in 1970.  It is also very likely that he will break the record for passing yards by a rookie in a single season and the record for rushing touchdowns in a season by any quarterback, not just rookies.

Dalton, on the other hand, has been a very solid quarterback all season and even though he is not currently breaking any records, he has the Bengals in the race to make the playoffs at 7-4.  He has done very special things to help the Bengals franchise; he has led the Bengals to 7 wins in his first 11 games, which is very impressive for a rookie.

But here’s where it gets interesting: the Bengals have not lost by more than 7 points in any of their 4 losses.  This shows that Dalton has been very solid and has kept the Bengals in every game.  He has close to a 60% completion rate and he has thrown 16 touchdowns this season.

Both of these individuals have brought excitement to the fans of teams that were previously sub-par.  It is very clear to see that these two superstars are the frontrunners to win the Offensive Rookie of the Year Award.  No matter what team one pulls for, one has to respect how well Newton and Dalton have both done in their rookie season.  These two players have a lot of potential and it is very likely that the NFL fan base will see great things from these individuals over the next decade.