Round two of the 2024 NFL Draft was held Friday night, and Detroit, Michigan, is where former Illinois defensive tackle Jer’Zhan “Johnny” Newton’s dreams came true. The Commanders selected him with the No. 36 pick, sending him to Washington.
Newton had an illustrious career at Illinois, fueling their ReliaQuest Bowl season in 2022 and earning many awards in 2023. At 6-foot-2 and 295 pounds, the lineman uses explosiveness and agility in his smaller frame to attack both the run and the quarterback. PFF recorded Newton as the nation’s leader in quarterback pressures and fifth in run stops among defensive linemen this past season.
He was one of the best Illinois defenders ever in getting to the quarterback, tying two-time All-American and College Football Hall of Famer Moe Gardner for most career sacks by an Illini defensive tackle. Seven and a half of Newton’s 18 collegiate sacks came in the 2023 campaign, along with many other impressive feats.
Among his accomplishments, Newton entered the draft highlighted by his second consecutive first-team All-Big Ten, consensus All-American status, the Nagurski-Woodson Defensive Player of the Year award and the Smith-Brown Defensive Lineman award.
Despite his achievements, Newton slipped out of the first round on Thursday night. ESPN had the former Illini as their No. 21 prospect, but in a stacked offensive draft class, there was an early surge of players taken on the other side of the ball.
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His talents now arrive in Washington, where Newton will help the Commanders. Following Thursday night’s round, Newton tweeted, “bet,” signaling to the world not only his frustration with not being a first-round pick but also the chip he has on his shoulder, ready to prove everyone who passed on him wrong. While the Illini will miss Newton’s defensive prowess on the turf next season, back-to-back first-round selections are a big step for the program and should help recruiting going forward.
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