Tag: Jer’Zhan Newton

Sights and sounds from first half as Eagles hold a 21-14 lead over the Commanders

Sights and sounds from first half as Eagles hold a 21-14 lead over the Commanders

A solid backup quarterback is the most important thing to an NFL team, and Kenny Pickett finally had his moment after Jalen Hurts was forced to exit with a concussion. The former Steelers first-round pick had one ugly interception but made some big throws as Philadelphia went into the half with a 2-14 lead.

An Eagles win would give Nick Sirianni, the head coach, his second NFC East title in four years.

Here are sights and sounds from the first half.

***

2024 NFL draft tracker: Every pick in Round 2

After months of speculation, mock drafts, and expert predictions, the 2024 NFL draft started on Friday. The Chicago Bears selected USC quarterback Caleb Williams as the No. 1 pick. The Washington Commanders selected Jayden Daniels as the No. 2 pick, …

After months of speculation, mock drafts, and expert predictions, the 2024 NFL draft started on Friday. The Chicago Bears selected USC quarterback Caleb Williams as the No. 1 pick. The Washington Commanders selected Jayden Daniels as the No. 2 pick, while the Patriots followed with Drake Maye as the No. 3 pick.

Six quarterbacks went in the first round, while three wide receivers were selected in the top nine picks.

With the Day 2 picks set to begin, we’re tracking every pick in Round 2.

20 best players available for Ravens on Day 2 of the 2024 NFL draft

Day One of the 2024 NFL draft is in the books, and it was a historic night. Six quarterbacks were selected in the first 12 picks, and 23 offensive players were selected, the most ever. Baltimore was able to land one of the top cornerbacks on the …

Day One of the 2024 NFL draft is in the books, and it was a historic night. Six quarterbacks were selected in the first 12 picks, and 23 offensive players were selected, the most ever.

Baltimore was able to land one of the top cornerbacks on the board without trading up.

Rounds two and three will play out on Friday night, and the Eagles will have two picks in Round 2 and none in Round 3.

Here is our list of the best players on the board during day two of the NFL draft.

Ravens Would Be Wise to Draft Illinois DT Johnny Newton with first round pick

Ravens Would Be Wise to Draft Illinois DT Johnny Newton with first round pick

There is no shortage of NFL mock drafts these days.
CBS Sports has four different mocks on their page alone, and one of them projects Illinois Defensive Tackle Jer’Zhan “Johnny” Newton to the Baltimore Ravens with the 30th overall pick. If he does last that long, this would be an excellent selection for the Ravens.
Whether you call him Johnny Newton or Jer’Zhan, everybody called him an All-American this past season, as he was a consensus choice for that honor.
Although he lacks ideal size and length for the next level, he’s a consistent, disruptive force in the defensive interior.
His sacks and tackles for a loss statistics aren’t as flashy as what you’ll see in his next-gen stats, with his quarterback hits and quarterback pressure numbers among the nation’s best for interior defensive linemen.

Pro Football Focus has regarded him a blue chip, sure fire first round prospect for well over a couple years. With the Illini, he comprised one half of what was known as “The Law Firm” and Newton & Randolph. Yes, Keith Randolph and Johnny Newton were arguably the most dominant DT pairing in the nation during the 2022 season, when they helped lead the Illini defense to the lowest points per game allowed average.

The 2022 Illini started the season with a “no name defense” (just like the legendary, perfect season 1972 Miami Dolphins, who had that moniker bestowed upon them by the iconic Tom Landry).

Throughout the season, individual stars emerged, like Devon Witherspoon, who was taken fifth overall by the Seattle Seahawks in last year’s draft and made the Pro Bowl. Witherspoon’s position groupmate, safety Sydney Brown, had an excellent season with the Philadelphia Eagles, who selected him in the third round this past April.

Given their team needs, Johnny Newton is next, and the Ravens would be an ideal landing spot for him. Suppose you peruse the hundreds (or right now, it feels more like thousands) of NFL mock drafts online. In that case, you’ll see a defensive lineman, or more specifically, a defensive tackle, mock the Ravens.

It is arguably their most extensive team need. And Newton, just like Witherspoon and Brown, brings something extra to the table. He was once recruited and coached by Lovie Smith. While yes, the Lovie experiment in Champaign failed, Smith still has NFL chops when it comes to defenders.

Smith’s career is undoubtedly a downturn now, but he is still one of our generation’s better defensive minds (at least on the NFL level). He knows how to find and then coach up defensive linemen.

 

Top NFL prospects for Ravens to watch during Week 1 of college football season

We’re looking at the top NFL Draft prospects for the Baltimore #Ravens fans to watch during Week 1 of college football season via @Thacover2NFL

With the college football season set to get underway, the Ravens and 31 other teams will spend their last free Saturday of the year scouting potential 2024 NFL draft picks.

The team has seven picks in next April’s drafft after Baltimore sent their 2024 sixth-round pick to the Cleveland Browns in exchange for a 2023 seventh-round pick that was used to select USC offensive lineman Andrew Vorhees.

With some big-named stars looking to show out in front of NFL scouts, we’re previewing some of the top prospects for the Ravens to watch during Week 1.