Bengals land one of the NFL Draft's best ballhawks with their fifth round pick

A revamped secondary for the Cincinnati Bengals adds another to the equation with TCU cornerback Josh Newton. The Bengals drafted Newton 149th overall in the fifth round of the 2024 NFL Draft.

Cornerback is a position the Bengals draft nearly every year, and with Chidobe Awuzie out the door and DJ Ivey recovering from a torn ACL, the position needed another body. Newton comes in with plenty of experience (59 career starts in college) and always ends up around the ball. He racked up 32 passes defensed and six interceptions in the last three seasons.

That production makes him a wise investment for the Bengals to make with their last pick inside the top 150.

Being around the ball made the Bengals want Josh Newton

It's no surprise how Newton has been able to find the ball in the air so much. He was a wide receiver out of high school and then made the position change in 2019, his first year of playing at Louisiana-Monroe.

Three years of starting later, Newton graduated and transferred to TCU to play two more years thanks to COVID eligibility rules. He was First Team All-Big 12 in 2022 with 15 passes defensed and three interceptions and decided to come back to school for another year.

His draft prospects likely suffered because of that decision, but his ball-hawking nature left an impression on Bengals defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo.

"Some guys just have a knack," Anarumo said of Newton constantly being around the ball. Anarumo also noted he can play inside in the slot as well as outside. 84.4% of his career snaps came on the outside.

Newton is ranked as the 155th overall prospect, and 23rd overall cornerback, in this draft class by A to Z Sports NFL Draft analyst James Foster . Here are his top attributes:

• Mugs WRs at the LOS & neutralizes their release
• One of the most experienced players in this class. 59 career starts & 3700 snaps played
• Tenacious, but composed at the catch point
• Uses the sideline in press & escorts outside releases to the bench
• Forceful tackler, willing to get physical in run support

Newton brings plenty of experience, positional versatility, and ball production to the Bengals' cornerback room. While he's a bit on the older side (he'll be 24 in September), he's got a high floor for a spot starter at an important position.

Related: Bengals want it All by taking a Cincinnati native in the fourth round in the NFL Draft