While the Jacksonville Jaguars’ defense had its moments early in the 2023 season, the team is still headed into the offseason with plenty of holes on that side of the ball.
Addressing the secondary has been a popular choice for mock draft creators, but additions to the interior defensive line feel equally as urgent.
Despite getting 27.5 sacks from the combination of Josh Allen and Travon Walker, the Jaguars still finished near the bottom of the league in the stat because very little pressure was generated from the interior.
If Jacksonville decides to beef up its defensive trenches, there may not be a better man for the job than Illinois defensive tackle Jer’Zhan “Johnny” Newton. The senior could’ve been an early pick in last year’s draft, but he went back to college for one more try at working his way into the first round. He accomplished his goal.
Should the Jaguars select him with the No. 17 overall pick? Let’s break it down:
Strengths
Jer’Zhan Newton earning both a sack and his black belt in karate in one rep. Those hands! pic.twitter.com/f819K6BGe6
— Trevor Sikkema (@TampaBayTre) November 5, 2023
Newton’s biggest strength is getting into the backfield. Whether he’s pressuring opposing quarterbacks or disrupting the run game, Jaguars fans can expect him to break past opposing offensive lines.
His main skill when beating offensive linemen is using his hands to get past them. He’s already a pro at swiping arms and getting around the offensive player.
Newton also has lightning-fast reaction time. He’s a smart player who quickly reacts to offensive players’ every move.
Weaknesses
Will be difficult to beat the size allegations but if that’s the reason he falls then a playoff team is getting an absolute dawg in Jer’Zhan Newton pic.twitter.com/PJHwrIrDoS
— idgaf (@tripnsack) February 8, 2024
Newton doesn’t have many flaws in his game, but his size is the biggest cause for concern. Newton measures in at 6’2 and 295 pounds, but some speculate he may be smaller.
He could be one of the biggest risers or fallers based on his combine measurements. If he ends up being smaller, some teams may be concerned about his ability to fight off NFL offensive linemen. If he ends up a little bigger than expected, his stock could improve even more.
Game to watch: Illinois vs. Northwestern (Nov. 25, 2023)
Watching this Johnny Newton sack, I thought no human that large should be that quick.
Then Jake Butt says “it’s like trying to block a wild bear” pic.twitter.com/mg7ChYuqAi
— Illinois Football Focus (@IlliniFB) November 25, 2023
One of Newton’s best games of his career came in his last college game. Newton showed out in the Fighting Illini’s game against Northwestern on Nov. 25. He made sure he would be remembered as he logged the second multi-sack game of his career.
He registered two sacks, five total tackles and three solo tackles. He was disruptive as a pass rusher and run defender, showing his variety of skills.
Stats to know
Johnny Newton's short-area explosiveness is special. pic.twitter.com/E5ZidCAw49
— Frankie Abbott (@FrankiesFilm) January 6, 2024
Newton kept getting better at pressuring opposing quarterbacks as his career went on. He tallied 1.5 sacks as a freshman, 3.5 as a sophomore, 5.5 as a junior, and 7.5 as a senior.
He was also consistent as a tackler since his sophomore year. He finished with 50, 59 and 52 tackles from his sophomore year to his senior year — impressive numbers for a lineman.
Throughout his career, Newton achieved 187 total tackles, 27.5 tackles for loss, 18 sacks, five deflected passes, and two forced fumbles.
Newton’s final year in college saw him earn a rating of 84.9 from Pro Football Focus.
Why he could be the pick
Yeah, Johnny Newton is the top player on my board at the 16th pick.
Seattle could get a Jalen Carter-type player. pic.twitter.com/hmwBlmkalQ
— drop DE’s into coverage (@ColdWunz) January 13, 2024
The Jaguars may be set on the edge. Josh Allen is up for an extension, and all signs point to him getting the franchise tag or big money from Jacksonville. Travon Walker was the No. 1 overall pick from two drafts ago, and he’s been steadily improving.
But Jacksonville’s interior defensive line is far from concrete.
Adam Gotsis, Folorunso Fatukasi and Roy Robertson-Harris may all be with the team again in 2024, but none of them should prevent Jacksonville from drafting Newton.
Fatukasi and Newton could be on the field at the same time, since Newton could line up outside of him. And Gotsis and Robertson-Harris are solid pieces, but there’s no doubt they could be upgraded.
