Josh Newton has an average height for the position but possesses good muscle mass. He is a limited athlete, lacking explosiveness and speed on the second and third levels (intermediate and long). His quickness is evident in some aspects of his game but not consistently. While he shows flashes of power, I find him often somewhat passive and not particularly decisive on certain tackles or run support situations.

Newton's technical skills are solid, but there's always a hitch in the machine. His neutral backpedal is smooth and good, and he occasionally employs an interesting side-saddle technique executed quite well with good timing. In press coverage, his kick-slide allows him to mirror the releases of wide receivers effectively. He tends to lose the battle for verticality, allowing the receiver to "stack" him, and his lack of recovery speed is evident, leading to far too many opportunities for big plays. He always has a slight delay when turning, as if his processing isn't happening smoothly and he freezes.

In off-man coverage, the issue arises during the break where he consistently takes a large step with his back foot, causing imbalance and delay on the receiver. This also consistently creates the possibility of a play for the offense. In zone coverage, he demonstrates a good understanding of the routes of opposing receivers. His quick processing is much more effective than in man coverage, allowing him to break on the ball's trajectory and even intercept on underneath coverage situations.

Newton does a good job of tracking the ball, and his eye-foot-hand coordination is decent. However, his average arm length makes it difficult for him to defend passes, especially at the highest point. This has led to many receptions against him, particularly by more physical receivers.

His run support is average; he doesn't show a strong desire to participate, struggles to disengage from blocks, and his tackling technique is mediocre. Although he has shown some flashes of potential, I believe it's more of a lack of motivation than anything else.

Josh Newton is an average athlete and will be 24 years old for his rookie season. He has a good overall IQ, and if he manages to correct some technical aspects, he could be a solid rotational player.
I evaluate Josh Newton as a middle of the 3rd day player, around the 5th round.