Illinois defensive tackle Johnny Newton was a top prospect for many Lions fans, but his slide to Day 2 of the 2024 NFL Draft was a surprise. We might now know the reason for his slide.
Entering the 2024 NFL Draft , there was a sizable group of candidates for the Detroit Lions at pick 29. Detroit would ultimately trade up to 24th overall to select Terrion Arnold, arguably the top defensive back prospect on the board—and perhaps in the draft itself. Yet in the lead up to the Lions’ pick, there was another big name still on the board: Jer’Zhan “Johnny” Newton.
From a character and production standpoint, the defensive tackle out of Illinois was a perfect fit for the Lions. Had the Lions drafted him at 29, many fans would have been thrilled with the selection . Yet despite the pre-draft hype and interest, including multiple visits with the Lions, Newton slid. He fell to pick 24. He fell to pick 29. He fell out of the first round entirely. It wasn’t until the Washington Commanders selected him with the 36th pick that he found his NFL home.
We might finally have an answer for his slide. Commanders head coach Dan Quinn had a press conference on Saturday and revealed that the rookie will undergo another foot surgery in the coming weeks:
Dan Quinn says 2nd rounder Johnny Newton has an injury to his other foot, not the same foot as his college season but the same injury, and has a procedure scheduled for next week. “Not giving any timelines for that.”
— JP Finlay (@JPFinlayNBCS) May 11, 2024
Newton suffered a Jones fracture in his right foot last season at Illinois, playing through it until finally receiving surgery in January. Now just four months later, Newton will receive the same surgery on his left foot for the same injury. For reference, another 2024 top prospect, cornerback Kool-Aid McKinstry, also suffered a Jones fracture prior to the NFL Combine , perhaps leading to his slide to pick 41.
The exact timeline for Newton’s recovery is still unclear, but two separate injuries within a year may have resulted in Newton falling further in the draft than originally expected. Were the Lions among the teams scared off by knowledge of this injury? We cannot say, but it is worth considering why a top prospect like Newton had no suitors on Day 1 of the draft.
The Lions have not shied away from drafting players with lingering college injuries such as Jameson Williams or James Mitchell, but it begs the question if the Levi Onwuzurike selection back in 2021 was a learning moment for general manager Brad Holmes. The Lions drafted the defensive tackle early in the second round despite a lingering back issue from college. Onwuzurike rarely saw the field early in his career while dealing with that injury, and it likely stunted his development.
Did the Lions want to avoid a similar situation with Newton? Perhaps, but what we know for certain is that they are more than happy to have Arnold in their fold.