David Pollack gives blunt take on Auburn retiring Cam Newton jersey: 'I've never seen a better football player'

It was announced on Monday that the University of Auburn will officially retire Cam Newton‘s No. 2 jersey number this season. The ceremony, which will take place during Auburn‘s game against rival Georgia on Oct. 11, will cement Newton’s legacy at the University forever.

He will be the fourth player to have his number retired in program history, joining Bo Jackson, Pat Sullivan and Terry Beasley. Newton, Jackson and Sullivan are Auburn’s three Heisman Trophy winners.

During his lone season at Auburn in 2010, Newton won the Heisman Trophy, the Maxwell Award, the Walter Camp Award, the Manning Award and the Davey O’Brien Award. Along with also being named a unanimous First Team All-American and College Football Player of the Year, Newton headed a Tiger team that won the 2010 BCS National Championship.

What makes this feat more impressive is that no Auburn offensive player, other than Newton, was selected in the NFL Draft. College football analyst David Pollack took to his “See Ball Get Ball with David Pollack” podcast on Monday to discuss Newton’s legacy.

Pollack labels Newton has the best football player he’s ever seen

“We didn’t put one thing on here that had to do with the QB’s by the way that I want to cover, because it’s the single greatest player that I’ve ever seen live,” Pollack said. “It’s Cam Newton. They retired Cam Newton‘s jersey at Auburn. I’ve never seen a better football player. I’ve never seen a better run than when he carried that 2010 team on his back to a National Championship. I don’t think people understand until you see him person… that’s not a small dude. That dude is 6-5, 260 and you watch him run around LSU guys. Like how is that possible? Then he runs by people and through people.

“The combination of strength and charisma… the dude had fun. He was always having fun and was competitive. Cam Newton is the best (college) football player I’ve ever seen with my eyes. Look, I’ve seen Johnny (Manziel) and I’ve seen (Tim) Tebow. I’ve seen those guys and I’m not knocking them. But that guy was different and what he did with that 2010 team was un-freaking believable.”

Following his college career, Newton was selected with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft by the Carolina Panthers and rose to the top of the sport in 2015 when he was named the NFL’s Most Valuable Player.