Where Have I Seen This Before? RGIII Struggles Parallel Cam Newton’s in Carolina

OK, tell me if you know who I am talking about.

After a break out season in his final year of college, this quarterback was taken high in the NFL draft with visions of being his long-suffering team's savior.

In his first season in the pro's he ran unchecked through the NFL setting all sorts of rookie records for a quarterback. His rookie season was topped of my AP Rookie of the Year honors and a trip to the Pro Bowl.

However, things didn't go so well in year 2. With expectations far beyond what anyone would consider reasonable, he struggles as the rest of the NFL catches up to his style of football. As he struggles, so does his team and visions of playoffs and the Super Bowl are quickly extinguished.

During this trying year, he says and does things that create tension among his teammates and even fans. The questions begin: can he be a successful pro quarterback.

RGII, right? Wrong.

Cam Newton.

Ah, how soon we forget. Last season the league's new wunderkind struggled as well (without the added burden of recovering from a torn ACL). And all the pundits began to doubt and point out flaws in his game.

Now, in year three, Newton is a different - nay, a better quarterback - then he was in year 1 and 2 and he has his team rolling towards the playoffs. The pundits all rave about how he is such a better player and leader then he was in year 2.

No duh!

Let's face it gang, for any quarterback not named Manning, it takes about 3 years for a quarterback to get where he needs to be (especially if they come out a year early).

The first season is all fun and games, because other teams don't have the video on them (forget video from college games - not the same thing). So, they don't know how to defend against them.

But in year two, other teams know what to expect and now how to attack. So, year two is a time for the quarterback to grow and develop their own game and match it to the NFL world. During that time, there will be growing pains.

The true test of a quarterback is year three. The NFL knows them and they know the NFL.

So, before everyone starts throwing dirt on RGII's career after just over a year and a half, turn your heads to Carolina and look what Newton is doing in year three.

For Robert Griffin, it is that III that will determine if he can make it as a pro quarterback.