The New Orleans Saints continue to do their homework in the trenches prior to draft day. Jordan Schultz of Bleacher Report reported that the Saints were one of many teams in attendance for Illinois defensive tackle Johnny Newton’s pro day.
Newton would have been worked out last month with the rest of his Illinois teammates at the school’s pro day, but opted to have foot surgery to repair a partial Jones fracture, pushing his pro day to Tuesday, April 16.
Newton, at 6-foot-2, 304 pounds is an athletic specimen along the defensive line. His hand usage at the point of attack to go along with his ability to bend around offensive linemen makes him one of the premier players at the defensive tackle position this year. Over his last three seasons at Illinois, Newton compiled 16.5 sacks and over 150 tackles, which shows the level of production he can potentially bring to a team as well.
With the Saints still very much in need of talent across the defensive line, Newton would be a great addition next to last year’s first round pick defensive tackle Bryan Bresee. Having these two side-by-side would not only provide some much needed pass rush but it would also shore up the position for the next 3 or 4 years.
