The Cincinnati Bengals finally addressed the secondary in the fifth round of the 2024 NFL draft, adding TCU cornerback Josh Newton at No. 149.
Newton, a 5’11”, 190-pound defender, had Bengals pick written all over him. He had a First-team All-Big 12 Conference selection on his resume, played five seasons at a high level and has some positional versatility, too.
As NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein pointed out, Newton is the type of physical defender Lou Anarumo likes in his secondary:
A well-built cornerback with inside/outside versatility, Newton’s 2022 tape was slightly better than his 2023 film. He’s capable in press and is made for old-fashioned Cover 2 looks where he can redirect the release and sink into zone coverage. Newton plays tall in space, creating inconsistencies in transitioning to match routes and he will lose downfield to speedsters. He’s competitive and physical at the catch point and is willing to do his part in run support. He has good football makeup, but it seems like he’s more likely to be around an NFL receiver rather than actively making plays on the ball.
Newton is a fantastic value in the fifth round and arrives as an instant competition for that fourth cornerback slot against the likes of DJ Ivey.
What’s interesting is where Newton ends up over the long-term. He can play inside, but former first-rounder Dax Hill might end up as the replacement for Mike Hilton.
But boundary corner depth is interesting, too, because the team needed insurance behind Cam Taylor-Britt and DJ Turner.
Realistically, no team is making it through a season without leaning notably on fourth and fifth corners. The fact Newton is more of a veteran college players vs. a guy with high upside says a lot about the team’s intent with the pick.
Also making this a quality pick is the fact the Bengals still have — as of this writing — four picks over the final two rounds, where they can address less-premier positions such as running back.
