Greg Newsome II NFL Draft Overview
Position: Cornerback
Height: 6′ 0”
Weight: 192 LBS
School: Northwestern University
Pro-Day Results
Unofficial 40 time- 4.38 seconds
Vertical jump- 40 inches
3-Cone drill- 6.80 seconds
Broad jump- 10′ 3”
Bench press- 18 reps
Greg Newsome II 2021 NFL Draft Profile
Greg Newsome II will enter the 2021 NFL Draft, forgoing his senior season at Northwestern. This will likely be the right move for Newsome II, who seems to be climbing up draft boards around the league. Newsome II played three seasons at Northwestern, totaling 21 games played. In a shortened 2020 season, Newsome II still managed to show why he should be considered one of the top cornerbacks in the class, earning first-team All Big-10 honors. Newsome II ranks as my number three corner in the 2021 draft class and continues to impress.
Newsome II’s athleticism and size, give him the ability to be a disruptive player at the next level. He proved to be a disruptive player in the Northwestern defense breaking up 25 passes in his college career. Due to his strong movement skills in the short and intermediate areas of the field, Newsome II can play many roles in an NFL defense if given the opportunity, which should make him and intriguing prospect to many teams. His ideal fit is in a cover 3 oriented scheme, however he is very scheme versatile as proven in the multi-front defense that Northwestern offers.
As if the college tape wasn’t enough, Newsome II put on a show at Northwestern universities pro day, recording a 4.38 unofficial 40 time. The combination of quality play on tape and the dynamic athletic abilities have catapulted Newsome II into the first round conversation in this draft. Even with the solid draft profile, Newsome II has plenty of competition at the corner position in this draft class. Jaycee Horn, Asante Samuel Jr., Caleb Farley and Patrick Surtain II all have put together solid profiles as well. With that said, Newsome II has a chance with a solid month of interactions with cornerback needy teams to convince him he’s their guy. The pure length and athleticism that he possesses, is usually a good indicator of a solid transition to the pro level, and will be on teams minds come April 27th on draft night. .
Strengths
- Ideal length for the position;
- Capable of playing and succeeding in multiple schemes;
- Good nose for the football with plus tracking skills;
- Short range explosiveness;
- Safe prospect that already does a lot of stuff at an NFL level.
Weaknesses
- Durability concerns, Newsome II has never played a full season;
- Poor tackling technique will need to be addressed;
- Not enough reps covering the deep ball;
- Could add some size to his frame at the next level;
- Run game support/angles taken in the run game.
NFL Comparison: Jaire Alexander
Draft Projection: Late first/early second round
Bottom Line on Greg Newsome II
It’s rare to see a player that is so pro-ready, with a good pro-day, that is not a first round lock. The variation in his draft projections stems from the simple fact that he wasn’t durable in college. If a team can overlook his injury history, and hone in on the skill-set, Newsome II could continue to fly up draft boards. In Draft Analyst Peter Schrager’ latest mock draft for NFL.com, he has Newsome II going at pick 17, to the Las Vegas Raiders. A few months ago, the idea of him going before fellow corner Horn out of South Carolina would have been asinine. However, with his rare blend of athleticism and ball-skills, it shouldn’t come as a huge surprise. Especially, in a league that features some potent offenses that show up every Sunday.
The biggest knock on Newsome II is his injury history, and come draft day it shouldn’t matter. His injury history is a bit of a mirage, with minor injuries plaguing him throughout three seasons at Northwestern. However, none of them affected or should affect his long-term athletic traits. A team in the first-round will see the All Big-10 player with huge athletic potential, and the injury history will be forgotten. Newsome II is a plug-play corner, that shouldn’t have to wait long to hear his name called on draft day.
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