Why the Slide?: Johnny Newton, DT, Illinois

This series was created a number of years ago in response to questions about why certain well-known prospects went unselected in NFL drafts. For these articles, I reach out to sources with NFL teams to find out why their organizations passed on drafting a given player, and/or, what were the reasons for other teams to pass on that prospect. The positive response to “Why Undrafted” and questions from readers about why prospects were drafted lower than the media expectations led us to create the parallel series “Why the Slide?”

Both series are back this year. Feel free to email me requests for Why the Slide? and Why Undrafted? at [email protected]. I can’t promise to get to all of them, but I will do my best and definitely will respond to the email.

At points during the 2024 NFL Draft process, there were projections of Illinois defensive tackle Johnny Newton being a high first-round pick. Newton had two seasons of good production with the Fighting Illini and showed the ability to put pressure on the quarterback from the inside. Early in the process, I reported some team sources viewed him more as a late first- or second-round player. As the draft neared, it seemed like Newton was rising again, as there were a lot of first-round projections from the big media. Newton in the end, however, slid to the second round.

Team sources told WalterFootball.com that Newton slid over a combination of factors. First, teams viewed him as more of a second-rounder who might sneak into Round 1. Second, while Newton showed some interior rush ability on tape, he also had some hit-and-miss moments as a run defender. Some sources said Newton wasn’t a fit for them because he is short and lacks length. Newton also ended the 2023 last season with a foot injury, and being restricted in workouts never helps a prospect. All of those factors combined to have Newton slide into Round 2.

The Washington Commanders ended Newton’s fall, and they were a mixed landing spot. On the plus side, Newton is a great fit for Dan Quinn’s defense and the team has solid veterans for Newton to learn from. In the early going, Newton can be a rotational player behind Daron Payne and Jonathan Allen. On the negative side, it will be tough for Newton to win a starting spot because Payne and Allen are very good pros who are strong in both phases. Perhaps the new regime in Washington wants to get younger and cheaper on the interior of the defensive line. Newton could be a rotational backup for a year and then replace one of the veterans – most likely Allen. It might take some time, but Newton could prove to be in a good landing spot and turn into a solid pro.