New York, NY - The Carolina Panthers took less than five minutes to turn in their card and christen the NFL draft on Thursday night by selecting the much-scrutinized Auburn quarterback. Now for the next round of questions. "Everybody is not just going to stop and say, 'That's Cam, the No. 1 pick, and we can leave him alone,' " Newton said of his critics, as he met the press at Radio City Music Hall.

"If anything, the floodgates have officially opened." Newton, 21, is the 11th quarterback in the past 14 drafts to be selected with the top pick in the draft — which adds to a remarkable run in recent months that included leading the Tigers to a national championship and winning the Heisman Trophy. He's the first player since Notre Dame's Leon Hart to be chosen with the top pick after winning the Heisman and a national title. Yet Newton, 6-5, 248, was undoubtedly the most scrutinized player in the draft after playing in a spread offense at Auburn, and for just one season after transferring from Blinn (Texas) Junior College.

Like any quarterback coming from a spread offense, Newton's chances for success will largely defend on whether he can make the transition to a pro-style offense, with a more sophisticated level of reading defenses. The Panthers are banking on it. New coach Ron Rivera, previously the San Diego Chargers defensive coordinator, inherited the NFL's lowest-scoring offense. "He has special qualities," Panthers general manager Marty Hurney told reporters at the team's headquarters in Charlotte.

"We've had a strong feeling for some time that he was the one person who we felt could come in and have the most impact on our football team." Newton, with a cannon arm and speed that will suddenly make him the NFL's second-fastest quarterback after Michael Vick, accounted for 50 touchdowns (30 passing, 20 rushing) last season.

"His throwing mechanics are there," NFL Network analyst Mike Mayock said before the draft. "His throwing mechanics within a non-spread system are not. You have to give this kid a chance to succeed, and I think the way to do that is to put him within a comfort zone." Experts envision Panthers offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski will incorporate features in the offense that will play to strengths that Newton demonstrated at Auburn — such as rollouts, play-action passes and pass-run options.

"I'm ready to get this show on the road right now," said Newton, dapper in a grayish tan suit, purple shirt and pink tie. Although he wouldn't declare whether it his goal to start as a rookie, he talked of the maturation course. "It's a goal for me to consistently challenge myself to get better on a daily basis," he said. "I don't know when that call (to start) is going to happen. But you know, each day, I'm just going to go out and learn something about the whole offense."

During the pre-draft process, several analysts questioned Newton's commitment after he casually told Sports Illustrated that he wanted to be an "icon and entertainer." Newton has stressed in recent weeks that his work ethic won't be an issue, and by intimating as much on Thursday sent another message.

Yet in considering the critics, he also seemed to suggest that he'll have thick skin. "I'm not trying to prove nothing to no one that I'm not trying to probe to myself," he said. "I'm my biggest critic. "At the end of the day," he added, "I can't go to sleep not knowing that I didn't get better that particular day, that I didn't push myself towards where I want to be." The NFL's labor issue has cast a cloud over the draft, and also lends uncertainty to expectations for Newton's first contract.

Last year's top pick, St. Louis Rams quarterback Sam Bradford, received a rookie-record $50 million guaranteed with his five-year contract. Yet the NFL has proposed a rookie wage scale that would reduce the amount of money guaranteed to top-10 picks. At the moment, without a labor deal, it's unclear if a rookie scale will be instituted for 2011, and what the parameters of such would be.

Newton didn't seem to be stressing over it as he basked with his new Panthers jersey and cap. "I'm not focused on money," he said. "That will take care of itself." Newton said he didn't find out that the Panthers — who were also considering LSU cornerback Patrick Peterson, Alabama defensive tackle Marcell Dareus and Georgia receiver A.J. Green for the top spot — had settled on him until shortly before the draft began. He joked that he expected to hear of the team's plans from reporters. Instead, word came in a call from Rivera.

The anticipation, he admitted, tested his nerves and made for restless nights. "This organization has kept me up more than anything," he said. "So I need to catch up on some sleep." When someone asked Newton if he had a message for Panthers fans, he sounded a bit like New York Jets linebacker Bart Scott during the recent NFL playoffs. "What message?" he said. "I can't wait."