Welcome to the Commanders Jer'Zhan Newton DT Illinois

[PCS]

Welcome to the team young man. Here's hoping things work out. 

 

 

NFL.com draft profile

 

HEIGHT

6’ 2’’

WEIGHT

304 lbs

ARM

32 3/8’’

HAND

9 1/2’’

 

Prospect Grade

6.36

 

Production Score

88

2024 Combine DT Rank: 1st

Athleticism Score *est

70

2024 Combine DT Rank: 12th

Total Score

83

2024 Combine DT Rank: 2nd

Quote

Overview

Active interior defender with the potential to build on his disruptive production in college. Newton’s size and length don’t stand out, but he has shown a consistent ability to gain extension and set edges against bigger opponents. Newton is clever in setting up blockers and then beating them with sudden hand usage and foot quickness as both a run defender and a pass rusher. He’s strong enough to hold the point, but he’s not going to overwhelm NFL guards with force or power. His skill level and athleticism should create additional playmaking opportunities for him as a three-down 3-technique with early starting potential.

Strengths

Compact and muscular with plenty of upper-body power.

Loose-limbed and athletic with ability to run the field like a big defensive end.

Able to press and set firm edges using either hand for either gap.

Agility and suddenness unlock slide-and-slap move to beat guards quickly.

Tape shows a player capable of rushing with purpose and a plan.

Outstanding instincts and timing for beating blocker’s edge.

Foot quickness creates mismatches for plodding pass protectors.

Edge to edge attacking mindset creates secondary pressures and sacks.

 

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[Warhead36]

At least hes super young(22 in August)

[mac8887]

Love this pick, bpa.

[PigskinPhat]

What are the Falcons smoking? Glad we nabbed this guy!

[PCS]

 

[Skintime]

We must be trading somebody

[BleedBNG]

 

[Koolblue13]

58 minutes ago, Skintime said:

We must be trading somebody

Cutting Mathis 

[PeterMP]

1.  Given our needs elsewhere, seems like an unnecessary pick.

2.  The best teams have multiple DL that they rotate, so it isn't like we have no need at the position.

3.  Seems like a guy that will be an impact player.

 

Don't love the pick but don't hate it.

[formerly4skins]

The more I think about this pick, the more I wonder if we may see some 3 man fronts with Allen, Payne, and Newton.

[kfrankie]

Can he play left tackle?

[Renegade7]

The thing that blows my mind about this pick is Mathis was starting to get together from his injury last year.

 

The DT depth and talent is nuts now.  I'd be shocked if our run defense didn't improve dramatically with the upgrades at linebacker behind them.

 

F your tush push.

[DWinzit]

2 hours ago, Koolblue13 said:

Cutting Mathis 

Effing waste of a 2nd rounder. 

 

Look forward to having a good 2nd round DT now!

Edited April 27 by DWinzit

[Berggy9598]

I'll be in here printing more receipts than Starbucks when it's obvious what a genius pick this was. 

[moondog]

39 minutes ago, Renegade7 said:

The thing that blows my mind about this pick is Mathis was starting to get together from his injury last year.

 

The DT depth and talent is nuts now.  I'd be shocked if our run defense didn't improve dramatically with the upgrades at linebacker behind them.

 

F your tush push.

Perhaps even more importantly is for the first time in these guys’ careers they have someone playing behind them. I think what Luvu and Wagner will show this year playing behind a special group will be fun to watch. 
 

And that includes a defensive staff that will actually scheme things up for them too. 

[Panninho]

3 hours ago, PeterMP said:

1.  Given our needs elsewhere, seems like an unnecessary pick.

2.  The best teams have multiple DL that they rotate, so it isn't like we have no need at the position.

3.  Seems like a guy that will be an impact player.

 

Don't love the pick but don't hate it.

 

I think it's who we had to pick. He was a first round talent that slipped to the second round. Some thought he was the best DT in the class, PFF had him as the 11th overall player. Yeah, we got two great DTs but if such a guy is available in round 2 and there is no reasons for that (injury, character) - take him. Reaching on a position of need is the Rivera trademark move in such a situation. Or even reaching on a player where you have no need (Mathis) for that matter.

I think these picks is how you build a great roster over time. For me, it'S the most exciting pick in the draft so far because it shows that Peters is all about getting great players regardless of need. This is a pick successful franchises like the Eagles or Ravens would have also made and everyone would be like "how the **** did that happen again?".

 

[skinny21]

As was mentioned in the draft thread, Payne and Allen need to be taking fewer snaps, and Newton essentially solves that.  Love the philosophy of both BPA and focusing on beefing up the interior/trenches.

[Bifflog]

[mh86]

Didn’t like this pick at first. After digesting it and looking back at how gassed Allen and Payne looked down the stretch, I love it. He looks great against the run, so on run downs he can fill in for one of them. Hes no slouch in the pass game either. Also, it gives us the chance to move more pieces along the DL, like Allen at DE. 

Edited April 27 by mh86

[Koolblue13]

3 hours ago, DWinzit said:

Effing waste of a 2nd rounder. 

 

Look forward to having a good 2nd round DT now!

Dude, I called this draft. I called Alt to the Chargers, I called the trade down, I definitely called DL and CB in the second a hundred times. I switched my tune on QB last week because of a private discussion with Sip, which I hate, but am open to, but I nailed this draft and have been called an idiot for a lot of it. 

 

This year, when I had eye surgery and couldn't sit up for a week, I just watched tape. I know I trailed off. My top 100 was close to GCs though.

 

We've crushed this draft like crazy.

7 minutes ago, mh86 said:

Didn’t like this pick at first. After digesting it and looking back at how gassed Allen and Payne looked down the stretch, I love it. He looks great against the run, so on run downs he can fill in for one of them. Hes no slouch in the pass game either. Also, it gives us the chance to move more pieces along the DL, like Allen at DE. 

Dudes a first round IDL and as good as anyone and we're use to crap like Ridgeway. Mathis is done as well. Out of the league this year probably.

 

We just permanently cemented our best strength. That rotation is nasty. Right in the middle we're coming. I bet we have some happy linebackers after that pick 

[Est.1974]

Was clear BPA on our board. What’s not to like. First round talent.

[CommanderInTheRye]

"Commanders get...steal of the draft..."

 

 

[KDawg]

He’s nasty. 

[Veretax]

I get some people thinking there were corners, and WRs on the board.  I'd not seen this guys highlights before this clip

10 hours ago, PCS said:

 

 

One of those plays he gets upset cause he thinks he drew a penalty, but I think its offensive block in the back by the guard.

But man, look at that explosion, first step, and intelligence, he could brutallize QBs but he tackles them around the chest instead of the head.  I can't remember the lat time we had a guy who was that quick off the ball.   I don't think he's a DE I think he's a DT but as they said on the 980 Cast last night, remember JA is owed 25 Million in 25.   Hard to imagine he's here without a lot more production, and DT is a position where you rotate.

But man, you remember how we brutalized Dallas's interior OL with Dak at the helm?

hehehe I see where they were going here.  I like this pick a lot more after seeing highlights.

Here's his interview with FLorio and Simms at the combine
 

 

Edited April 27 by Veretax

[Going Commando]

Looks like he's either left handed or fairly ambidextrous.  Should make it easy for him to flip with the strength of the formation.  Guys are harder to pass block when they are equally comfortable attacking either side of you.  Especially when they have a big first step like Newton does.

 

Judging from our new personnel on the DL, I would guess we'll run a stunt heavy 4-3 with an emphasis on generating A and B gap pressure.  Not going to be much two gapping I think.  We've been good for a while at generating pressure, especially from the interior.  But now our coverages should be way better about matching our pressure schemes.  With Forbes, Davis, Sainristil, Forrest, and Quan in the secondary, we should be able to generate a lot of turnovers now.  I would expect the plan to be to use Davis and Juice for press coverage, and keep the other guys in zones.

 

I'd be shocked if our defense doesn't massively improve next year.  It should go from one of the worst back into the top ten, just off adding Luvu and Wagner and finding way better coaches.  But there are a few notable holes in it still.  We need Martin or Forest to step up as a traffic director for the secondary.  Some of that can come from Wagner, but he shouldn't be playing a ton of coverage at this point in his career. 

 

Second, and perhaps even bigger, we need to find a stud edge player.  Almost every great defense is led by one.  We need that Alpha dog edge that dictates the protections and punishes opponents when they mess up and neglect to slide protections at him.  Trey Hendrickson requested a trade...