Washington Commanders and Illinois football fans ecstatic with Johnny Newton pick

Johnny Newton has been selected in the 2024 NFL Draft, and the Washington Commanders and Illinois football fanbases sounded off on social media
Feb 28, 2024; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Illinois defensive lineman Johnny Newton (DL20) speaks at a
Feb 28, 2024; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Illinois defensive lineman Johnny Newton (DL20) speaks at a / Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
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The Washington Commanders just selected Illinois football defensive tackle Johnny Newton in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft.

This was a huge pick for the Commanders, as Newton is one of the best interior defensive linemen in the draft. He is also a player who can make a difference on the defensive line for any franchise.

Newton finished his final season with the Illini amassing 52.0 tackles, 7.5 sacks, 2.0 pass deflections, and a legacy that is hard to match.

With Newton going off the board in the second round, Illinois fans went crazy for the great selection.

While Illinois football fans had a big reaction to the selection of Johnny Newton, Washington Commanders fans were also ecstatic about the NFL Draft pick

The Commanders are getting a starting-caliber defensive lineman. Newton can come into the franchise and not only make an impact from day one, but I believe he can compete for a starting job.

Newton is one of the best defensive linemen I have seen in the college game. He constantly dealt with double and triple teams, and yet he still managed to become a consensus All-American.

This selection should excite the Commanders' fanbase. They just selected someone who has a legitimate shot at becoming a Pro Bowl player. I believe Newton is going to be a wrecking ball for the franchise, and he is someone who causes game-changing plays.

At the end of the day, I would argue this is one of the steals of the 2024 NFL Draft. There is a reason the Commanders fans are this excited.

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