Often times when all of the chips are on the table in the playoffs for the Buffalo Bills, their defense has faltered.
That unit has taken a hit this offseason with the losses of safety Jordan Poyer, middle linebacker Tyrel Dodson and outside linebacker Leonard Floyd. Buffalo also has other former defensive players who are expected to sign elsewhere, including safety Micah Hyde and cornerback Tre'Davious White.
With voids at multiple positions on defense now, taking a defensive player in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft may not be the fan-friendly pick, but it may be in the Bills' best interest. In Daniel Jeremiah's latest mock draft, he had Buffalo going that route by taking Illinois defensive tackle Jer'Zhan Newton in the first round.
"Buffalo gets some help for the interior D-line with Newton," Jeremiah writes. "Florida State’s Braden Fiske and Michigan’s Kris Jenkins could be DT possibilities here, too."
Newton was the 2023 Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and a two-time All-American, among other accolades. Newton had 7.5 sacks and 8.5 tackles for loss last season, and he also had a stellar year in 2022 with 5.5 sacks and a career-high 14 tackles for loss.
The 6-foot-2, 304-pound defensive tackle also boosted his stock at the NFL Scouting Combine, having the best production score and second-best total score for NFL Next Gen Stats. NFL Draft analyst Lance Zierlein compared Newton to San Francisco 49ers defensive tackle Javon Hargrave, and he received a 6.36 prospect grade, which projects him to one day be a plus starter.
"Newton’s size and length don’t stand out, but he has shown a consistent ability to gain extension and set edges against bigger opponents," Zierlein writes. "Newton is clever in setting up blockers and then beating them with sudden hand usage and foot quickness as both a run defender and a pass rusher. He’s strong enough to hold the point, but he’s not going to overwhelm NFL guards with force or power. His skill level and athleticism should create additional playmaking opportunities for him as a three-down 3-technique with early starting potential."
The Bills need to add more difference-makers on both sides of the ball, but the need is much more pressing on defense. While Buffalo may be able to find a receiver who can contribute immediately in the second round, a player of Newton's caliber may not be there later in the draft.
Given their struggles in the playoffs on defense, a player like Newton could be exactly who the Bills need to help contain quarterbacks the likes of Patrick Mahomes and Joe Burrow when it matters most.
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