The Washington Commanders selected defensive tackle Johnny Newton at No. 36 in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft.
Newton, 21, watched his pass-rush numbers improve incrementally in his four seasons at Illinois. The 6-foot-1, 305-pound defensive tackle earned first-team All-American honors in 2023, as well as being named the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year.
Durability has been key for Newton as he never missed a game in his four-year college career.
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‘The Beast’ breakdown
Newton ranked No. 28 in Dane Brugler’s Top 300 big board. Here’s what Brugler had to say about him in his annual NFL Draft guide:
“Newton’s undersized, compact frame will be a turn-off for some teams, but he is tough to block one-on-one, because of his gap quickness, natural power and nose for the ball. He projects as a dependable starting three-technique in the NFL.”
Coaching intel
What anonymous coaches had to say about Newton in Bruce Feldman’s mock draft:
“He is crafty and slick with some good moves and heavy hands. He’s just got a great feel for things in there. This guy is a stud.”
“Great block-destruction guy. Really friggin’ twitchy.”
Why he’s a second-round pick
Numbers-wise, Newton shines brighter than Texas’ Byron Murphy II, who was dubbed as the top interior defensive line draft prospect this year. Newton accumulated 187 total tackles (28 tackles for loss) and 18 sacks during his 45 games at Illinois. He also combined for 103 pressures in the past two seasons, which was the most by any FBS interior defensive lineman in that span.
JOHNNY NEWTON. 😤 @IlliniFootball
📺: @BigTenNetwork pic.twitter.com/cJqWuqhRLt
— Big Ten Football (@B1Gfootball) November 25, 2023
Come back for more analysis of Johnny Newton later.
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