The Washington Commanders were sitting in a prime position when the second round of the 2024 NFL draft opened on Friday night. Picking No. 36 and No. 40, the Commandeers had a chance to add two premium players who just missed the first round. With pick No. 36, Washington surprisingly selected Illinois defensive tackle Jer’Zhan “Johnny” Newton. The surprise came from the defensive tackle position being the Commanders’ best position group. This was a case of general manager Adam Peters truly following his board. Yes, Washington has Jonathan Allen and Daron Payne, but Peters’ goal was to restock the roster with talented players — not necessarily specific positions. Peters has confidence in coach Dan Quinn and defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr. to get the most out of Newton, which will include him being on the field at the same time as the two older stars. Many believed Newton would land somewhere in the first round, as Quinn and Peters told him they were shocked he was still available. The 6-foot-2, 304-pound Newton was a three-year starter for the Illini, where in his senior season, he was a first-team All-American and named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year. Here are some highlights from Newton’s time at Illinois.
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