Chambana Sun

Illinois All-American defensive tackle Jer'Zhan Newton has been selected by the Washington Commanders in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft, holding the No. 36 overall pick. This makes Newton the third-highest drafted defensive tackle from Illinois, following Corey Liuget and Joe Rutgens.

Newton's college career was marked by significant achievements. He earned consensus All-America honors and was named the Big Ten's Defensive Player of the Year, making him only the fourth Illini to receive this accolade. He also received recognition as the Big Ten Defensive Lineman of the Year and was a finalist for the Nagurski Trophy.

In 2023, Newton led Power-5 defensive tackles in quarterback pressures for a second consecutive season with 44 pressures during regular play, topping all Big Ten defensive tackles by a margin of 15. Additionally, he led his conference's defensive tackles with 7.5 sacks and accumulated a total of 103 quarterback pressures over two seasons—an unmatched record nationwide among his position.

Statistically, Newton ranked within the top three across several categories for defensive tackles during the regular season, including sacks, defensive stops, quarterback hits, and snaps played. He recorded seven blocked kicks nationally and had 52 tackles that positioned him as third among Power-5 defensive tackles and first in his conference.

This draft selection marks Newton as another Illini picked by Washington in recent years after Jartavius Martin last season. It is also notable within head coach Bret Bielema's tenure since it represents his third-highest drafted defender alongside J.J. Watt and Devon Witherspoon.