2024 NFL Draft Scouting Report: TCU CB Josh Newton

From now until the 2023 NFL Draft, we will scout and create profiles for as many prospects as possible, examining their strengths, weaknesses, and what they can bring to an NFL franchise. These players could be potential top-10 picks, all the way down to Day 3 selections, and priority undrafted free agents. Today, a scouting report on TCU CB Josh Newton.

#2 JOSH NEWTON, CB, TCU – (R-SENIOR) 5110, 190 POUNDS

SENIOR BOWL INVITE

MEASUREMENTS

THE GOOD

— Has acceptable size and length at the position
— Filled-out frame aids in ability to be physical with receivers at the line of scrimmage
— Will aggressively jam receivers at the line, throwing them off their route
— Competes at the catch point all the way through the rep
— Battles to get back in position when caught out of phase
— Does a good job opening up his hips to mirror receivers on outside releases
— Has inside/outside versatility, having moved around the defensive backfield
— Crowds receivers at the catch point to make contested catches difficult
— Has extensive playing experience during his college career
— Does a good job diagnosing underneath throws and breaking on them in a hurry
— Willing and capable in run support

THE BAD

— Lacks ideal speed, burst, and quickness for a starting corner
— Will get stacked vertically down the sideline against speed receivers
— Struggles to stay with pass catchers as they break at the top of routes
— Can get tall in his backpedal, limiting the quickness of his transitions
— Likes to play the receiver rather than playing the ball
— Physical play style leads to him getting grabby, being at risk for penalties
— Will be a 24-year-old rookie

BIO

— Redshirt Senior (6th year) prospect from Monroe, LA
— Born September 14, 2000 (age 23)
— Started two years at wide receiver in high school as a Louisiana All-Star Game pick
— Says his “why” is to retire his mother, Shandria Newton
— Two-star recruit according to Rivals, signed with UL-Monroe out of high school
— Redshirted in 2018 and didn’t see game action
— Started all 12 games in 2019 at corner after transitioning from wide receiver in spring practice, totaled 20 tackles and two pass breakups
— Played in 10 games in 2020 and made 16 tackles, five pass breakups, and an interception
— Started nine games in 2021 and had 48 tackles, five for loss, eight pass breakups, and two interceptions
— Transferred to TCU in 2022 and started all 15 games and made 35 total tackles, 12 pass breakups, and three interceptions, with one returned for a touchdown
— Started 12 games in 2023 and posted 33 total tackles, seven pass breakups, and one interception
— 2023 Team Captain,  2023 Second-Team All-Big 12, 2022 First-Team All-Big 12
— Kinesiology major

TAPE BREAKDOWN

Josh Newton came from humble beginnings, being raised by his mom in Monroe, Louisiana, as a two-star recruit at wide receiver. He committed to UL Monroe in town and redshirted his first year on campus, switching to cornerback in 2019. The move proved to be a fruitful one for Newton, who became a quality start for UL Monroe, ultimately deciding to transfer to TCU, where he would become a First-Team All-Big 12 pick his first year with the team as the Horned Frogs made a National Championship appearance. Now, Newton hopes to hear his name called in April and officially retire his mother after raising him into the man he is today.

When you pop in the tape on Newton, you see a physical corner that knows how to play press-man coverage. He does a good job getting his hands on receivers at the line of scrimmage and throws them off their routes, delaying their release time to throw off the timing with the opposing quarterback. Watch Newton get his hands on the receivers from Iowa State in the clips below, playing the ball through the intended target’s framework to force the incompletion.

Newton is aggressive at the catch point, competing with the pass catcher to and through the whistle. Watch this rep against Kansas State as Newton stays with the receiver at the top of his route and then reaches across his torso to break up the pass at the line-to-gain to keep the Wildcats from getting the first down.

Newton also has good spatial awareness when the ball is in the air, being able to peel off his assignment, whether he be in man or off man/zone coverage, to make plays on the football. Here are a couple of plays Newton made on the ball last season for the Horned Frogs: catching the tipped pass for an interception returned for a touchdown against Iowa State in the first clip while taking back the second interception deep inside enemy territory in the second clip.

Still, Newton isn’t the most fleet of foot when it comes to the corner position, and that shows up on tape, he tends to get stacked vertically by receivers with deep speed, giving up separation on the deep ball. Watch these two clips below against Texas where WR Xavier Worthy beats him vertically on both clips, getting bailed out by the underthrow by the Longhorn’s quarterback in the first clip that the safety picks off, but gives up a big completion down the field in the second clip, having Worthy luckily fall down before getting into the end zone for the score.

Newton can also be a tad slow in his transitions at the top of receiver’s routes due to playing high-hipped in his backpedal. This leads to separation being made by the receiver he’s covering on in-breaking or out-breaking routes like the one you see below against Worthy of Texas, who stems his route toward the sideline, having Newton slow to transition and break on Worthy as Newton is in more of a trail technique. Worthy catches the pass as Newton reaches out to deflect it, missing the ball and flies out of bounds as Worthy catches the pass and turns upfield for the house call.

While Newton’s physicality can help him in run support as well as being physical at the line of scrimmage, that physicality tends to go a little too far on occasion, leading to holding calls. Here’s one example against Texas where Newton gets the dreaded yellow hankie thrown at him, shooting his hands at the receiver in the slot at the snap of the ball, grabbing hold of his shoulder pads as the receiver attempts to break free, drawing a couple of penalty flags for the obvious holding call.

CONCLUSION

Josh Newton is a throwback, physical coverage defender who has worked for everything he’s gotten during his football career. He has extensive starting experience on the outside as well as in the slot that can contribute against the run, as well as be a good fit for a press-man scheme as well as a basic Cover 2 scheme where he can make plays on the ball in front of him. Still, he lacks the long speed and quickness needed to survive consistently on the outside in the league, making him a better fit for a physical nickel defender who can match up with slot receivers and tight ends, getting outside duties on occasion on a rotational basis.

When coming up with a pro comparison for Newton, Arthur Maulet has a similar play style/physical limitations despite being a tad smaller than Newton. Maulet is also known for being a physical slot corner who can provide solid run defense as well as mix is up in the passing game, but his long speed and quickness keep him from being a reliable coverage defender. Newton could fill a need in Pittsburgh should they be looking for a physical slot corner later in the draft while having that outside experience as well, but would be better suited to be a backup in that facet.

Projection:  Day 3
Depot Draft Grade: 7.2 – Rotational Player (4th Round)
Games Watched: vs Texas (2023), vs Iowa State (2022), vs Kansas State (2022)