A few guys are getting overlooked early in a draft class with several rare blue-chip prospects. One of them is Jer’Zhan Newton, who’s been a versatile and highly effective player for Illinois. For a 6’2, 295 lb Defensive Interior, you’d expect him to be a lackluster run defender with average power. However, that isn’t the case, and he surprisingly thrives in those areas. This is also a highly athletic player we’re talking about here. As Illinois lost Devon Witherspoon last year, they’ll be hurting also to lose Newton this year. He is a rare kind of player and a fascinating guy to analyze.
Three all-22 games and his highlights were evaluated, and clips from his film are broken down here. All relevant traits were graded based on his film. His scouting report also factored in stats and analytics, such as PFF grades. Use promo code TREYSCHNEIDER on Underdog Fantasy to match your deposit up to $100. Please gamble responsibly and leave your feedback on Twitter @FBIntellect.
| Profile |
|---|
| 1st DI / 1st RD | 6’2 / 295 | RS-JR | Illinois |
| Pro Comp |
|---|
| N/A |
| Scheme |
|---|
| Three-Tech |
D-Line Stats
| 2023 (Through WK Eight) | |
|---|---|
| PRS – 32 SK – 5 | TKL – 35 TFL – 4.5 |
| 2022 | |
|---|---|
| PRS – 59 SK – 4 | TKL – 62 TFL – 14 |
Film Analysis
Jer’Zhan Newton shows his remarkable upper body strength in this clip above. He gets a terrific get-off and drives the Guard back, collapsing the run play.
Newton lines up as a 4i in this one and gets a sack on the QB. After getting a good get-off, he fakes to the inside, then takes the edge as he pushes away the Guard.
Grades
OVR Grade: 1-100
| Individual trait scale (1-7): |
|---|
| 7 – Rare world-class skill; best in the league and no room for improvement | 6 – Great-elite skill; one of the best at that given trait but still has some room to improve | 5 – Very good; above average and has potential to be elite | 4 – Average; able to suffice but, not ideal long-term | 3 – Below average; able to suffice at college level | 2 – Poor; hinders overall play and is a liability to the team | 1 – Awful; not good enough to play given position at any level above D2 | Note: Consistency plays a large factor. |
| Overall Draft grade scale (1-100, realistically: 57-87): |
|---|
| 86 – Perfect prospect | 82 – Bluechip prospect | 80 – Likely all-pro | 79 – Day one quality starter or superstar potential | 78 – Day one starter w/ all-pro upside | 77 – Day one starter w/ high-end upside | 76 – Day One Starter | 75 – Boom or bust | 74 – Will become quality starter within 2-3 years | 73 – Boom or bust (high risk) | 72 – Will become starter within 2-3 years | 71 – Day-one backup with starter upside |
SPD – Speed
ACC – Acceleration
AGI – Agility
STR – Strength
SIZ – Size
GET – Get-Off
IQ – Football IQ
INS – Instincts
PWM – Power Moves
FNM – Finesse Moves
BKS – Block Shedding
PUR – Pursuit
TKL – Tackle
Traits/ Skills
(Grades are subject to change until draft day.)
| Traits | Immediate | Potential |
| SPD | 5.4 | 5.4 |
| ACC | 6 | 6 |
| AGI | 6 | 6 |
| STR | 5.8 | 6 |
| SIZ | 4.6 | 4.6 |
| GET | 5.7 | 6.3 |
| IQ | 4.2 | 5.9 |
| INS | 4.4 | 5.6 |
| PWM | 4 | 5.6 |
| FNM | 4.4 | 6.2 |
| BKS | 4.6 | 5.5 |
| PUR | 5.3 | 6 |
| TKL | 4 | 5.6 |
Jer’Zhan Newton’s Pros and Cons
- Jer’Zhan Newton is an athletic three-tech with three-down ability. His first step, paired with his upper body power and leverage advantage, could lead to moments of dominance in the pros.
Pros
- Fires off the ball with the all-around athleticism to consistently get home
- Often wins the leverage battle due to height.
- Ridiculously powerful upper half for only being 295 lbs
- Exceptional bend allows him to be used on stunts and twists
- Strong and active hands
- Instinctive run defender with a nose for finding the ball
- Quick and effective swim move
- Flashed the ability to push-pull
- Takes precise angles to the ball
- Thrives off of defending the zone run
- Played nearly every alignment across the D-Line
Cons
- In addition to being undersized, he lacks length
- Relied too much on athleticism rather than technique
- While his hands are active, he could grow to have better accuracy
- Pass rush moves are still a little raw
Combine – TBD
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Pro Day – TBD
40 yd:
Ten yd:
Shuttle:
Three cone:
Broad Jump:
Vertical:
Bench:
Arm length:
Hand Size:
Final conclusion on Jer’Zhan Newton
There are no players in the NFL who even compare to Jer’Zhan Newton; he is just that rare of a player. While he played a lot of nose tackle and 1i for Illinois, he projects as a three-tech in the pros. He has the athleticism to play over the Tackle on run-downs and will be a nasty pass rusher on the interior. It’s still hard to say if he’s a top-ten talent, but he appears to be the best D-Tackle in this class. Teams like the Raiders or Cardinals could make excellent use of his skills. His upside isn’t elite because he’ll never be an amazing run defender. However, he’ll bring a day-one impact many teams need.
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