Soccer is a cyclical sport. Ideas and concepts are rarely new, and adjustments are made that force changes in personnel and desired body types on both offense and defense. As free agency begins to unfold, good defensive tackle play appears to be becoming more and more valuable. The offense leans toward the run game with big bodies up front and gap schemes, simply because many of the linebackers are now 210-pound former safeties in the box. If a team wants to play like that defensively, having good tackling up front will be even more important.
As defensive tackles get paid more and become more valuable, it’s a perfect fit for the 2024 NFL Draft class, of which I believe the best defensive player is Illinois defensive tackle Johnny Newton. ing.
Over the past two seasons, Newton terrorized Big Ten offensive lines with 89 pressures, 13 sacks and 23 tackles for loss, and the Illini defense set record numbers in 2022. Let’s dig into his game to understand why he is a top player. Best defensive player in the class.
Physics:
6’2
304 pounds
32 3/8 inch arm
9 1⁄2 inch needle
Newton doesn’t have the longest arms or the biggest hands, but what stands out about Newton’s game is violent His hands are. He rarely loses hand fights at the line of scrimmage in the run or pass game, and his ability to shake off defenders on both fronts makes him a true three-down threat. In Illinois’ five-man defense, Newton mirror-stepped with the offense, meaning he reacted before attacking. Despite this, he still consistently hit linemen and made plays. Due to his violent hands, he can veer into other gaps to make plays on the ball.
He is good at outside zone runs, has the lateral speed to keep the line of scrimmage flat to track the ball carrier, and the discipline to not go too far up the field into cutback lanes. There’s always a plan to how he uses his hands, and you see it show up in the run game. In this game against Iowa, he was able to shift his hands against zone runs and return to the line of scrimmage to make tackles. Special for defenders over 300 pounds.
Newton also has the agility to track plays from the backside, resulting in multiple tackles for loss on plays against the run. His foot speed off the ball, combined with his disciplined run defense, makes him a real pain to try to block. michigan He found out the hard way in 2022. Notice his ability to keep one arm free to make this play on the backside while he stays sideways. His ability to change direction and play is really good.
Here you can see how Newton uses his first step and violent hands to create chaos throughout this play rather than making a tackle. He exploded this run by simply putting his guard on the backs’ lap and leaving his teammates to clean up.
Against the pass, Newton is an absolute threat. He always has a pass rush plan and has an exceptional closing burst to get to the QB. Newton loves the two-handed swipe motion and has the flexibility in his hips to turn the corner and finish on the QB when he lets go. Newton’s flattening ability has its ups and downs, but when he’s active, there’s no more disruptive defensive force in this draft. Against Minnesota, the Illini dropped both edges into the coverage area, causing Newton to rush from the offside. Notice his ability to flatten this angle and chase down the QB…at 305 pounds. Pretty crazy mover!
He does a great job as half of the linemen when he rushes against guards and centers. He’s always looking to get to their outside shoulder and can crush the pocket from there like anyone in his class, regardless of position.
Newton is an instant pressure cooker when he steps into an NFL locker room, and his ability to win games by running over linemen’s faces or straight down the outside shoulder will make him an asset to any team that acquires him. It’s going to unlock a lot of other pass rushers. Look at this matchup against the University of Wisconsin. Newton loves to finish with a swipe over a lineman’s shoulder with an arm over or swim move, which causes a lot of problems for opposing linemen.
Newton is also effective in his stunts and forward game. With the NFL moving towards changing things up front defensively, having a player who can win pass rush games and cause havoc is always a plus. Newton’s quickness and use of his hands really shine in this department, effectively dismantling blocks on his way to pressure the QB.
Overall, Newton is a dynamic three-down prospect with positional versatility and can line up as a 3T, 4i, or 5T in Illinois’ five-man front. His quickness and disruption on his hands make him easily appreciated as both a run and pass defender, and his ability to finish in the pass rush game gives him a very high ceiling. Defensive tackles are all the rage right now, and Newton is the best of them all.
