2024 NFL Draft prospect profile: Johnny Newton, DT, Illinois

Will Jer’Zhan “Johnny” Newton be the next great defensive tackle in the NFL?

There’s a duality to the defensive tackle position at the NFL level.

On one hand, most DT’s are almost afterthoughts on the defense. The big guys who occupy blockers and occasionally get a pressure or two while allowing the edge defenders and linebackers to do their jobs.

On the other hand, the NFL covets interior defenders who can directly affect, impact, and disrupt the play in the backfield. Guys like Aaron Donald, Chris Jones, and Dexter Lawrence are worth their (considerable) weight in gold.

Illinois defensive tackle Zer’Zhan Newton (who goes by “Johnny”) is one of the most disruptive defensive tackles in the 2024 NFL Draft and could look very good lining up next to Lawrence. But would the New York Giants even get the chance to draft him?

Prospect: Jer’Zhan “Johnny” Newton (4)
Games Watched: vs. Michigan (2022), vs. Kansas (2023), vs. Penn State (2023), vs. Wisconsin (2023)
Red Flags: Jones fracture (didn’t work out at the Combine)

Measurables

Kent Lee Platte (@mathbomb) | RAS.football

Strengths

• Aggressiveness
• Athleticism
• Competitive toughness
• Hand use
• Disruptiveness

Johnny Newton is an explosive, powerful, disruptive, and technically savvy defensive tackle prospect.

Newton features a compact, dense frame with good thickness in his upper and lower body. He has solid play strength, which turns into impressive power when combined with good leverage and an explosive first step. Newton does a good job of timing the snap and is very sudden off the line of scrimmage, generally firing out of his stance instead of up. He generally does a good job of placing his hands, finding blocker’s chest plates and extending while uncoiling his hips to get blockers on their heels.

He’s capable of winning with power and explosiveness, but also does a great job of stringing pass rush moves together to beat blockers who are prepared for his power rushes. He also has heavy, active, and technically sound hands, which allow him to harness his explosiveness without being slowed by blockers’ hands. He uses a very quick two-hand swipe to clear defenders hands, while also mixing club-rip and club-swipe moves to work past them while angling into the pocket.

He also has a very strong core to go along with his strong hands, allowing him to torque and discard blockers to make plays on runners attempting to go through his gap.

Newton is a highly aggressive defender who plays with a definite nasty streak. He attacks the ball carrier with a vengeance and has a wide-open motor in pursuit. Newton is willing to work through multiple blockers when necessary and is never content to stay blocked for long. He’s also completely willing to pursue ball carriers across the field.

Weaknesses

• Long speed
• Double teams
• Occasional over-aggression

There are few real weaknesses in Netwton’s game, though there are a few nits to pick.

Newton shouldn’t be asked to take on double teams with any regularity. He lacks the mass and top-level play strength to control double teams and allow teammates to flow to the ball. Teams that ask defensive linemen to take on blocks and create rushing lanes for other defenders might waste his talents. Similarly, Newton lacks the length (at 6-foot 2 ¾ inches with 32 ⅜ inch arms), mass, and strength (though he’s by no means weak) to be a 2-gapping tackle. He can occasionally pop up out of his stance, compromising his leverage and play strength.

Newton’s play speed also tends to slow over distances. He has an explosive first step, but lacks real long speed, which somewhat constricts his area of effectiveness. Newton has a great motor in pursuit, but it isn’t hard for many offensive players to outrun him.

And while Newton’s aggression is a definite strength of his game, it can occasionally work against him. He can take himself far out of position if he fails to read misdirection correctly. Combined with his limited long speed, that can make it difficult for Newton to impact the play.

Game Tape

(Newton is Illinois DT number 4)

Projection

Johnny Newton projects as a starting defensive tackle in a one-gap defense.

He played out of a variety of alignments in Illinois’ scheme, and should be able to line up as a 5, 4i, 3, or 1-technique in the NFL, though he would be best used as a B-gap defender on most downs. Newton would have the most utility for teams that are willing to allow him to attack into the backfield and scheme to enable that. For instance, he should be the looper on stunts and twists, as opposed to the player tasked with crashing down and taking up blocks.

Teams that view defensive linemen as a wall that eats blocks and allows linebackers, edge defenders, or blitzers to make plays will want to look elsewhere. However, teams that use aggressive 1-gap defenses such as, Steve Spagnuolo’s, will find him to be a disruptive playmaker.

Does he fit the Giants?
Yes.

Final Word: A first round value