Washington Commanders select Illinois DT Jer'Zhan Newton with No. 36 overall pick

With the No. 36 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, the Washington Commanders did not go WR, OT, or even CB – instead selecting Illinois DT Jer’Zhan Newton.

The pick was announced by Darrell Green, who was wearing a No. 28 hat as NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell announced Green was getting his number retired this fall – and then presented Green with a No. 28 jersey that he wore as he made the pick.

“DMV, it’s on y’all! We got Jayden last night, and we’re about to get to work – and also, I’m back!” Green shouted before the pick as well.

Newton, the top DT and No. 11 overall player on PFF’s big board, ‘has some physical limitations due to his size and lack of natural flexibility, but his hand usage, pass-rush tools and block-shedding ability allow him to be very productive in any alignment from 3-tech to 5-tech,’ according to the outlet.

The 6-foot-2, 295-pounder had an 84.9 PFF rating last year, 17th among 883 FBS interior linemen, and posted 52 tackles (8.5 for loss), a team-high 7.5 sacks, two pass break-ups, and one forced fumble en route to being a First Team AP All-American and All-Big Ten, and the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year.

Newton was also a finalist for the Nagurski Trophy, given to the nation's top defender, and he led FBS with a school-record four blocked kicks.

He lined up mostly either in the B-gap or over a tackle in 2023 (330 and 388 snaps, respectively, out of 749 total), so he can move inside or outside as needed based on the technique.