Jer'Zhan Newton

Newton was a 3-star recruit out of Clearwater Central Catholic High School in Clearwater, Florida. He played running back as well as defensive line, and he also played basketball in high school. He was a 2019 MaxPreps All-American and selected Illinois over a slew of scholarship offers. As a true freshman in 2020, Newton played in all 8 games at defensive tackle, starting two contests. He was the highest rated true-freshman defender in the country by Pro Football Focus (85.8). He ended the season with 23 tackles and 1 forced fumble. In 2021, Newton started 11 of the 12 games and had a stellar season, being named All-Big Ten honorable mention. He was all around the ball and finished the season with 50 tackles and 3 sacks. Newton’s 2022 season saw him take a big step towards becoming one of the top defensive tackles in the country. He finished the campaign with 62 tackles, 5.5 sacks, 11 quarterback hurries, and 2 fumble recoveries. He was named an AP second-team All-American. In 12 games in 2023, he collected 52 tackles and a career high 7.5 sacks for Illinois.