CB, Northwestern
Height: 6’1″
Weight: 190 lbs
Class: Junior
Greg Newsome was one of the biggest risers from the 2020 season. A former three star recruit, he is coming off a breakout year that saw him allow just 93 yards through his six games. Whilst injuries have limited his game time in college, he shows undoubted quality. Newsome was voted First Team All Big Ten and is currently ranked as my CB7 in the 2021 NFL Draft.
You can read more of my 2021 NFL Draft content here.
Strengths
It is immediately apparent when watching Newsome that he has the physical skillset that teams covet at the next level. At 6’1″ and 190 lbs he possesses prototypical cornerback length and pairs this with genuine athletic ability. Newsome has surprisingly fluid hips for his size, with great change of direction ability and burst. He’s got enough long speed to stick with receivers and you will rarely see him get stacked downfield.
Another of his key strengths is his instinctive playstyle. He does a great job of reading the offense and this showed up at the catch point this season. Although he only had one interception, Newsome registered seven pass breakups on his 34 targets. He was fantastic in coverage all year, allowing just 93 yards and a passer rating of 31.7, the best amongst draft eligible corners. He did not give up a completion of 20+ yards this season, and his 0.44 yards per coverage snap ranked fifth in the FBS.
Newsome’s length means he has a huge tackle radius and he uses this to good effect. He is a hard hitter who has logged just 11 missed tackles on 83 career attempts. He has good form too, and whilst he could add some more play strength, the technique is already there. His length also helps when it comes to run defense, where Newsome utilises it to get off blocks.
One thing that NFL teams are going to love about Newsome is his scheme versatility. He excelled in Northwestern’s zone-heavy scheme and showcases good route recognition to break on the ball and make plays. Newsome also has the physical and athletic traits to be a solid man-cover corner at the next level. He doesn’t have much experience in this capacity, but the few reps where he played in man coverage were impressive. Although he isn’t a particularly physical corner at the moment, Newsome has the potential to develop into a press-heavy role if required.
Weaknesses
The biggest issue with Newsome is his limited sample size. His performances in 2020 were a significant improvement on his freshman and sophomore seasons, but he only played six games. He has also had issues with injuries throughout his time at Northwestern. He missed nine games in his freshman year and four in sophomore season and there will be questions about his durability at the next level.
Another potential knock will be the level of competition he faced this season. Whilst Newsome put up some impressive numbers, he didn’t face much in the way of NFL talent. The Ohio State game was the lone exception, and he forced to leave midway through the game after suffering a groin injury. Whether or not he can translate his impressive 2020 form to better competition is still a major unknown.
The other concern will be his frame. Whilst Newsome has the length to be a press-heavy man corner, he doesn’t yet have the size. At just 190 lbs he can struggle against more physical receivers and this is the kind of thing that is even more of an issue in the NFL. Adding some more play strength will help in his tackling and run defense too.
Bottom Line
Whilst he doesn’t have the sample size that others do, Newsome looked excellent this season for Northwestern. His combination of size and smarts will make him a coveted boundary corner in this year’s draft. If he can add a little more strength to his frame and stay on the field, he can be a do-it-all cornerback at the next level.
Big Board Rank: #32
Positional Rank: #5
