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2024 Round 2, Pick 36: DT, Jer'Zhan Newton, Illinois


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So for whatever reason, defense fell way down the draft this year.  This is a guy who in normal seasons is a first rounder for sure.  Clean up some technique, and I think you might have a stud on your hands.  He’s also going to learn a whole lot from working with Payne and Allen.  

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I don't like the position or, at least not taking a 3rd DT so high but, I love the player. He, Allen & Paye as a 3 man rotation, or even 4 if Mathis shows anything is going to be a hell of a DT rotation.

Allen & Payne will now be kept fresh which will be great for our D.

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This pick was actually the first time I’ve been truly excited by something Peters has done as GM.

Stack up the non-QB positions, DT is probably the most “set” on the whole roster. You have two good starters, there’s a nice backup in Ridgeway (who, admittedly, DQ has already cut once), and there’s a former 2nd rounder who could still be something. None of these other positions are close to that.

And with his second pick ever, he takes a guy at that position. I love it, because of what it means. He’s accumulating the best football players he can, building a talent base. Not trying to fill out a 2024 depth chart. This is a totally different approach to drafting than we’ve seen in a long time, and it’s much (much) better than what we’ve had before. I guarantee that Rivera would have taken an OT at 36 or 40, and it would have been a bad pick, but it would have checked “need number 2” off the list. 

The best teams do this. See a guy who shouldn’t be on the board because he’s better than the other dudes left? Take him. Get the best players. Figure it out later.

Newton will get plenty of snaps, even if everybody stays healthy. I’ve been complaining for years about the number of snaps they forced Allen and Payne to play, and having another guy who can push the pocket will hopefully (finally) get them to dial down the workload for those guys. I think lower quantity of snaps will likely also mean higher quality of snaps for those two.

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4 hours ago, e16bball said:

This pick was actually the first time I’ve been truly excited by something Peters has done as GM.

Stack up the non-QB positions, DT is probably the most “set” on the whole roster. You have two good starters, there’s a nice backup in Ridgeway (who, admittedly, DQ has already cut once), and there’s a former 2nd rounder who could still be something. None of these other positions are close to that.

And with his second pick ever, he takes a guy at that position. I love it, because of what it means. He’s accumulating the best football players he can, building a talent base. Not trying to fill out a 2024 depth chart. This is a totally different approach to drafting than we’ve seen in a long time, and it’s much (much) better than what we’ve had before. I guarantee that Rivera would have taken an OT at 36 or 40, and it would have been a bad pick, but it would have checked “need number 2” off the list. 

The best teams do this. See a guy who shouldn’t be on the board because he’s better than the other dudes left? Take him. Get the best players. Figure it out later.

Newton will get plenty of snaps, even if everybody stays healthy. I’ve been complaining for years about the number of snaps they forced Allen and Payne to play, and having another guy who can push the pocket will hopefully (finally) get them to dial down the workload for those guys. I think lower quantity of snaps will likely also mean higher quality of snaps for those two.

It was also nice to see Adam Peters be ahead of the trends in the draft. You see so many runs on positions because of value. DT T'Vondre Sweat and DT Braden Fiske were selected within the following 3 picks. Then 3 other DTs later in the middle of the second round. You could argue he did that too in the first round with QB, too. 

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41 minutes ago, taylor made said:

Apparently this guy fell for medical reasons? Anyone know what specifically? 

https://www.si.com/nfl/draft/news/2024-nfl-draft-johnny-newton-fall-first-round

Quote

Newton missed the NFL Scouting Combine with a Jones fracture in his foot and those injuries are always worrisome with defensive linemen because of their stature and necessary explosiveness that derives from their lower halves. He was fully healthy going into his pro day workout where he looked plenty explosive.

 

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38 minutes ago, taylor made said:

It was also nice to see Adam Peters be ahead of the trends in the draft. You see so many runs on positions because of value. DT T'Vondre Sweat and DT Braden Fiske were selected within the following 3 picks. Then 3 other DTs later in the middle of the second round. You could argue he did that too in the first round with QB, too. 

Mike Sainristil literally said that Pittsburgh was going to take him with pick 51 and we took him at pick 50. They clearly had a good understanding of where people would go.

I loved day 1 and day 2 from this F.O. If they believe that Brandon Coleman is a tackle, that makes me more confident in our Tackle room too.

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17 hours ago, e16bball said:

This pick was actually the first time I’ve been truly excited by something Peters has done as GM.

Stack up the non-QB positions, DT is probably the most “set” on the whole roster. You have two good starters, there’s a nice backup in Ridgeway (who, admittedly, DQ has already cut once), and there’s a former 2nd rounder who could still be something. None of these other positions are close to that.

And with his second pick ever, he takes a guy at that position. I love it, because of what it means. He’s accumulating the best football players he can, building a talent base. Not trying to fill out a 2024 depth chart. This is a totally different approach to drafting than we’ve seen in a long time, and it’s much (much) better than what we’ve had before. I guarantee that Rivera would have taken an OT at 36 or 40, and it would have been a bad pick, but it would have checked “need number 2” off the list. 

The best teams do this. See a guy who shouldn’t be on the board because he’s better than the other dudes left? Take him. Get the best players. Figure it out later.

Newton will get plenty of snaps, even if everybody stays healthy. I’ve been complaining for years about the number of snaps they forced Allen and Payne to play, and having another guy who can push the pocket will hopefully (finally) get them to dial down the workload for those guys. I think lower quantity of snaps will likely also mean higher quality of snaps for those two.

You wrapped up everything about what this means to the front office perfectly.  The team needs talent, and you always need talent, and you can’t pass someone up because they don’t check the ‘needs’ box.  

The other thing that the good teams do- especially Baltimore- is that they take at least one OL within the first three rounds.  That trend is a little early for us to track now, but my guess is that we will see this become a trend for us.  

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11 hours ago, Slappy Mc said:

Mike Sainristil literally said that Pittsburgh was going to take him with pick 51 and we took him at pick 50. They clearly had a good understanding of where people would go.

I loved day 1 and day 2 from this F.O. If they believe that Brandon Coleman is a tackle, that makes me more confident in our Tackle room too.

It is usually us with those kind of leaks, so that is refreshing to hear.  

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On 4/28/2024 at 7:31 AM, naptownskinsfan said:

You wrapped up everything about what this means to the front office perfectly.  The team needs talent, and you always need talent, and you can’t pass someone up because they don’t check the ‘needs’ box.  

The other thing that the good teams do- especially Baltimore- is that they take at least one OL within the first three rounds.  That trend is a little early for us to track now, but my guess is that we will see this become a trend for us.  

That’s somewhere that Rivera definitely missed the mark. I’ve never seen a coach not value OL play and think he could just get by on aging vets as much as Rivera did with the OL. It was really, really disappointing. Well that and his lack of focus on drafting a QB high & the lack of focus on the LB position for the same reasons.

You trade possibly a Hall of Fame LT in TWill for peanuts, lose Scherff in FA, lose Roullier to multiple season ending injuries two years in a row & then cut Flowers & Moses & you only take 1 OL in the first 2 rounds of the draft in your 4 years as GM/HC? And just 2 in the first 3 rounds with Stromberg just being a 3rd round comp pick in 2023. 🤦‍♂️

Just an abomination.

Edited by turtle28
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