Tag: Johnny Newton

ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. names Commanders as one of NFL draft’s Day 2 winners

Kiper was impressed with the Commanders’ Day 2 haul.

ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. loved the Washington Commanders’ selection of LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels at No. 2 overall in the 2024 NFL draft.

On Saturday, the Commanders entered the second round of the draft with five selections — two in the second round and three in the third round. At No. 36, Washington selected Illinois defensive tackle Johnny Newton, who many believed should have gone in the first round.

While the Commanders have two standout defensive tackles in Jonathan Allen and Daron Payne, Newton adds another stud to the mix.

Instead of using the No. 40 pick, Washington traded it to the Eagles for a pair of second-round picks and a fifth-round pick in exchange for No. 40 and No. 78. Instead of two second-rounders and three third-rounders, the Commanders now had three second-round selections and two third-round picks.

The Commanders used those picks to select cornerback Mike Sainristil and tight end Ben Sinnott.

So, what did Kiper think of Washington’s Saturday haul? He named the Commanders as one of his Day 2 winners.

I mentioned the Commanders’ trade with the Eagles above, and Washington ended up with three second-round picks. New GM Adam Peters landed a game-wrecker for the middle of his defense. He got the best slot corner in this class. And he got my second-ranked tight end, a player who could make plays in the pass game and block his butt off in the run game. This is a home run Round 2 class for the Commanders, who entered this draft with a lot of holes.

To finish out Round 3, Washington took wideout Luke McCaffrey, which was a reach based on my rankings. Still, Christian’s brother has the physical traits to be an intriguing flier.

All five of Washington’s Day 2 selections could help the Commanders next season, which is almost uncommon in recent years.

Who did the Commanders get in Jer’Zhan Newton?

What are the Commanders getting in Newton?

Jer’Zhan Newton was the name announced by the Hall of Fame former Redskins cornerback Darrell Green as the 36th overall selection in the 2024 NFL Draft.

Who is Newton?

Well, first of all, I was surprised the big defensive tackle who played at the University of Illinois was not selected in the first round Thursday night.

You see, Newton was listed by most analysts as one of the top 30 players in this draft.

The Commanders already have Jonathan Allen and Daron Payne. So why did Adam Peters select Newton? Perhaps it’s because Peters honestly felt he was the best player available. Newton is 6-foot-3, 304 pounds, and stood out during Illinois games this past season.

The Commanders desperately need an offensive tackle, but with the run on tackles last night in round one, it was expected they would not reach at No. 36 for an offensive tackle. Unlike the prior administration, this group led by Peters chose a good player they were most likely surprised was still available.

Preferring “Johnny,” Newton was an All-American during the 2023 season. For his stellar play, Newton was awarded the Nagurski-Woodson Defensive Player of the Year and also the Smith-Brown Defensive Lineman of the Year award. He was also First-Team All-Big Ten in both of his last two seasons for Illinois (2022, 2023).

Peters took Newton to get the best player despite the fact that he already possesses two fine defensive tackles. He is, after all, attempting to build the best roster possible, not reach and fill a position.

There is a huge difference.

Newton was born in St Petersburg, Florida and played his high school ball at Clearwater Central Catholic.

Commanders NFL Draft grade: Jer’Zhan ‘Johnny’ Newton, DL, Illinois 36th overall

Grading the 2024 NFL draft selection of Johnny Newton by the Washington Commanders

The Washington Commanders stick at the 36th overall selection and landed a serious first round talents with the pick of Illinois defensive tackle Jer’Zahn ‘Johnny’ Newton.

Newton projects as a rotational piece on a stacked defensive interior with the likes of Jonathan Allen and Daron Payne, though could be lined up along the edge to maximize the defensive talent on early downs.

With an electric first step, fierce get-off, and a relentless motor to get to the quarterback, Newton could be an early impact player and wrack up the sacks quickly if used early and often.

Grade: A+

Washington Commanders select Illinois DL Johnny (Jer’zhan) Newton with the 36th overall pick. Grade: A+

The Washington Commanders got the best defensive tackle in this class in Johnny Newton, and Dan Quinn will unleash hell with him.

Newton was my best defensive tackle in this class, and one of the defensive players. I know that some teams were worried about the Jones fracture in his foot, but he played through it last season and still destroyed just about every offensive lineman he faced. New Commanders head coach Dan Quinn is one of the NFL’s most creative minds in terms of defensive line deployment and scheme (Quinn’s Cowboys led the league in stunts last season), and this match of team and player had the potential to be absolutely incendiary. 

A three-star recruit from Clearwater Central High School in St. Petersburg, Florida, Jer’Zhan Newton (who has since changed his first name to Johnny) chose Illinois under head coach Lovie Smith over several other programs, and excelled under defensive coordinator Aaron Henry in a defense that has recently put a lot of talent in the NFL, including Seattle Seahawks 2023 first-round cornerback Devon Witherspoon and Philadelphia Eagles 2023 safety Sydney Brown.

In 2023, his fourth year on the field with the Fighting Illini, Newton totaled eight sacks, seven quarterback hits, 28 quarterback hurries, 32 stops, and 33 solo tackles, At 6-foot-2 and 295 pounds (unofficial), Newton can disrupt just fine inside, but he also saw 25% of his snaps last season either over or outside the tackles, and he brings an interesting set of techniques to foil blockers on the edge.

Newton should be seen as among the best interior defensive linemen in this draft class, though he can do much more. He did not work out at the combine due to a Jones fracture in his foot — which he played through the second half of his junior season… which makes his 2023 tape all the more impressive.

PLUSES

— Capable of pressure from every gap; spends most of his time at 3-tech, but he’s a disruptor all over the place.

— Gets skinny through gaps like a running back would; gets it done with more than just pass-rush moves.

— Violent with his hands to push through blocks with ridiculous speed — Hits the edge with burst around the turn; can beat tackles with edge techniques.

— Can run multiple gaps at the snap and has good vision to penetrate.

MINUSES

— Size deficits (6′ 1⅝, 304) show up when he’s doubled and can’t break free.

— Slides will have him lost in the wash and trying to recover at times.

— Needs to be less upright off the snap more often; that’s where he loses leverage.

I’ve always had a bias for smaller defensive tackles who can move around. Newton could wind up being another one of those Geno Atkins-style agitators if he gets his leverage together and devises strategies to beat double teams. Overall, about as fun a player to watch as I’ve seen in this draft class.

Vikings land J.J. McCarthy and Jer’Zhan Newton in 33rd Team mock draft

The 33rd Team’s Ari Meirov sends Michigan QB J.J. McCarthy and Illinois DT Johnny Newton to the Minnesota Vikings in his latest mock draft.

One of the biggest questions coming into this week’s NFL draft is if the Minnesota Vikings are going to be able to get their quarterback of the future, and just how much they’re going to have to give up to do so. But what if the Vikings don’t have to give up anything and can still land a potential franchise QB?

That’s the scenario that played out in the latest mock draft from The 33rd Team’s Ari Meirov. Meirov has the Vikings standing pat at the 11th spot and still landing former Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy. Here’s Meirov’s analysis of the selection and McCarthy’s fit in Minnesota:

A trade-up could likely be required for the Minnesota Vikings to get a quarterback in this draft, but I don’t think they will have to go all the way to No. 4 with Arizona the way most people think, especially if it’s for J.J. McCarthy. Assuming it can’t get Maye, Minnesota could be more patient and let the draft come to them; trading up to No. 7 or 8 would make more sense.

McCarthy is the most polarizing quarterback of the top four. Still, he would walk into easily the best position of anyone: Minnesota has the play-caller in Kevin O’Connell, the playmakers with Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, T.J. Hockenson and Aaron Jones, and the protection with bookend tackles Christian Darrisaw and Brian O’Neill.

With the Vikings not trading up for a quarterback, they’re able to keep their second first-round pick and can bolster the team even further. In this mock, they’re able to beef up their defensive line with the 23rd pick, taking former Illinois defensive tackle Johnny (Jer’Zhan) Newton.

The Minnesota Vikings could very well not even have this pick if they trade up, which many people think is likely. Jer’Zhan Newton had more than 100 pressures over the past two seasons, and some people rate him as the draft’s top interior defensive lineman.

The First-Team All-American had surgery in January to repair a fracture in his foot and did not do any workouts during the pre-draft process.

This draft would be just about a dream scenario for the Vikings. They’d be able to land a quarterback they’re heavily rumored to be in on, and would get to keep their draft assets to land a player who most draft analysts have as the top interior defensive lineman available.

The Xs and Os with Greg Cosell: How are prospects scouted differently than 10 years ago?

How does the changing nature of the NFL in a schematic sense change how NFL teams evaluate draft prospects? Greg Cosell and Doug Farrar investigate.

The NFL is an ever-changing business, and that applies just as much (if not more) to the prospects coming into the NFL as it does to the players who are already there. Schemes and trends and concepts are so different now than they were 10 years ago, or even five years ago, and you’d better be ahead of the game on that in how you evaluate college players for your NFL team.

In this week’s “Xs and Os with Greg Cosell and Doug Farrar,” the guys get into the differences in evaluation for these positions:

Quarterback — There are about as many snaps with quarterbacks moving around and throwing outside the pocket as there were a decade ago, but how have things changed in how these mobile quarterbacks are evaluated? And can you even succeed in the league anymore without those movement skills?

Receiver — The massive increase in pre-snap motion over the last decade has teams thinking differently about receivers, especially smaller receivers who might not have even made an NFL team in 2014. How has this changed the receiver prototypes teams really want?

Offensive Guard — With the increase in quick game passes in the NFL, edge-rushers don’t always have time to get to the quarterback before the ball is out, which means that interior protection is more important than ever. The NFL is paying guards on an entirely different wage scale than it did a decade ago, so why are guards so much more crucial to offensive success than they used to be?

Interior Defensive Lineman — Correspondingly, the league now has a group of massive defensive tackles who can get to the quarterback in some really freaky ways for their various sizes. Where did this group of agile Godzillas come from, and how has their presence shaped what defenses do?

You can watch this week’s “Xs and Os” right here:

You can also listen and subscribe to the “Xs and Os” podcast on Spotify…

…and on Apple Podcasts.

Video: Breaking down the prospects with injuries entering the draft

Video: Breaking down the 2024 NFL draft prospects with injury risks with Dr. Jimmy Liao of the Detroit Lions Podcast

As a special angle for our draft coverage, we’re sharing a recent video from the Detroit Lions Podcast that goes over the injury status and outlooks for several of the 2024 NFL draft prospects who figure to interest the Detroit Lions.

Dr. Jimmy Liao, a board-certified practicing physician and graduate of the University of Michigan’s medical school as well as a lifelong Lions fan, went into detail on the level of risk on a few prospects. From Kool-Aid McKinstry’s troublesome foot surgery (severe concern) to Jackson Powers-Johnson and Ennis Rakestraw (moderate concern), Zac Zinter (light concern) and more, Dr. Liao goes over the injuries and his relative worries about how it might limit them in the NFL and the Lions, if drafted into Detroit.

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Thanks to Dr. Liao for the detailed breakdowns and information on the risk level with all the prospects and also for answering my personal question about soft tissue injuries.

Why the Rams may not draft a defensive tackle as early as some think

Defensive tackle is viewed as a position of need for the Rams, but they may not take one early like many people think they will

After Aaron Donald announced his retirement from the NFL, the immediate question was “how will the Rams replace him?” They haven’t signed anyone in free agency, which points to them drafting a defensive tackle early to fill the massive void left by No. 99.

No single player can take the place of the future Hall of Famer, but it’s possible the Rams already have his successor on the roster. That player is Kobie Turner, who should’ve won Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2023.

When you think about it, the Rams actually drafted Donald’s replacement a year ago when they selected Turner 89th overall out of Wake Forest. He’s the primary reason Los Angeles may not draft a defensive tackle such as Byron Murphy II or Johnny Newton as early as many people think they will.

Though Turner played a bunch of snaps at nose tackle last season alongside Donald, he’s a much better fit at 3-technique, the position Donald played throughout his career. He’s 6-foot-2 and 288 pounds, which is only 1 inch taller and 8 pounds heavier than Donald’s listed weight. Nose tackles in a 3-4 scheme are typically much bigger – like Bobby Brown III, who’s 6-foot-4 and 324 pounds. That’s a run-stuffing nose tackle. Turner is a pass-rushing 3-technique.

In the Rams’ case, they need a nose tackle more than they need a 3-technique to replace Donald. Turner can be that player to fill Donald’s void, already showing impressive pass-rushing skills with nine sacks last season to tie the Rams rookie record, which was set by Donald in 2014.

Not to mention, the Rams probably knew Donald was only going to play two more years when he signed his new contract in 2022. VP of football operations Tony Pastoors told The Athletic that when Donald signed his deal in 2022, he “looked me in the face and said, ‘I’m playing two years.’” The structure of Donald’s contract, which came with an option in 2024, suggests the Rams had a strong feeling he’d retire after the 2023 season, too.

As a result, they knew they’d need to find Donald’s replacement sooner rather than later, which is why they drafted Turner when they did. They viewed him as Donald’s heir, not some rookie in the 2024 class.

Murphy and Newton are both fantastic players and would help the Rams right away, but it’s very possible the front office and coaching staff view Turner as their replacement for Donald. In that case, Los Angeles would be better suited to draft a 5-technique like Darius Robinson or a nose tackle such as McKinnley Jackson to play alongside Turner.

It’ll be fascinating to see if the Rams take Murphy or Newton in the first round if either is available at No. 19, or if they wait much longer to take a defensive lineman. My money would be on the latter, simply because Turner would make a fantastic full-time 3-tech after playing a bunch of nose tackle in 2023.

Saints attend first-round DT Johnny Newton’s pro day

The Saints were one of many teams attending first-round DT Johnny Newton’s pro day. He’d be a great addition next to Bryan Bresee:

The New Orleans Saints continue to do their homework in the trenches prior to draft day. Jordan Schultz of Bleacher Report reported that the Saints were one of many teams in attendance for Illinois defensive tackle Johnny Newton’s pro day.

Newton would have been worked out last month with the rest of his Illinois teammates at the school’s pro day, but opted to have foot surgery to repair a partial Jones fracture, pushing his pro day to Tuesday, April 16.

Newton, at 6-foot-2, 304 pounds is an athletic specimen along the defensive line. His hand usage at the point of attack to go along with his ability to bend around offensive linemen makes him one of the premier players at the defensive tackle position this year. Over his last three seasons at Illinois, Newton compiled 16.5 sacks and over 150 tackles, which shows the level of production he can potentially bring to a team as well.

With the Saints still very much in need of talent across the defensive line, Newton would be a great addition next to last year’s first round pick defensive tackle Bryan Bresee. Having these two side-by-side would not only provide some much needed pass rush but it would also shore up the position for the next 3 or 4 years.

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Texans land pass-rushing DL, ball-hawking DB in Mel Kiper’s new 2-round mock draft

The Houston Texans finalize what could be a top-10 defense thanks to the addition of two Big Ten standouts in Mel Kiper’s latest mock draft.

Defensive tackle and cornerback remain the biggest needs for the Houston Texans to address entering draft weekend following a promising free agency period.

According to the latest mock draft from ESPN’s Mel Kiper, both areas are shored up in the second round as long-term staples for the reigning AFC South champs.

Even without a first-round pick, the Texans secure a Day 1 talent at pick No. 42 with the selection of Illinois defensive tackle Johnny Newton.

This is Houston’s first pick in the draft after it moved out of Round 1 via last month’s trade with the Vikings. It owns the No. 59 pick as well. Newton is one of the best interior pass-rushers in this class. He had 7.5 sacks last season, which was the most in the FBS from a defensive tackle. The Texans signed Folorunso Fatukasi to a one-year deal this offseason, but they also traded away Maliek Collins, creating a void at the position.
Newton entered the year as the top defensive tackle prospect. He lived up to the hype with 7.5 sacks and 8.5 tackles for loss, but he also underwent foot surgery prior to the NFL combine and did not run drills in Indianapolis.
From a pass-rushing standpoint, Newton fits what the Texans covet up the middle. The Texans love defensive tackles with the ability to pass-rush and create pressure. Sheldon Rankins, who inked a one-year deal last offseason, finished with six sacks. Collins finished with five sacks and 13 quarterback hits.
Newton, who finished his Illini career with 18 sacks, was a hot name linked to Houston at pick No. 23 before the Texans traded out of the first round. He should compete with Denico Autry and Fatukasi for pass-rushing reps on third down.
Even after adding two top-10 picks in Jeff Okudah and C.J. Henderson, Houston could benefit by adding a nickel defender to compete alongside Desmond King. At pick No. 59, the Texans find their long-term slot defender as Kiper has them landing Michigan’s Mike Sainristil.
Sainristil is the best slot cover corner in this draft. He had 6 picks, 2 sacks and 2 forced fumbles for the national champs last season. Houston signed veteran Desmond King to play as its nickelback, but I don’t think he is guaranteed to make the Week 1 roster. At 5-foot-9, 182 pounds, Sainristil just makes plays. I’d want him on my team.
Sainristil, a converted receiver-turned-cornerback, isn’t positionless, but he’ll make plays wherever lined up. In 2022, he finished second among Wolverines with seven pass breakups along with an interception.
A two-time team captain, Sainristil was the anchor of a top-five secondary that guided Michigan to its first national championship in over two decades. His six interceptions ranked third among FBS players, trailing only Wisconsin’s Ricardo Hallman and Notre Dame’s Xavier Watts.