Cincinnati Bengals rookie cornerback Josh Newton has already been highly hyped by the team as a possible steal who can make an immediate impact.
As if seeking to prove that narrative right, Newton recently mentioned that he has studied plenty of film on current ballhawk Bengals cornerback Mike Hilton.
In fact, Newton even recently hinted that he’s studied that blitz from the slot that resulted in a tipped pass and an interception by Hilton in Cincinnati’s divisional round playoff win over the Titans in 2021.
“First of all, he’s a very good and high IQ player,” Newton said, according to Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com. “He’s got a great feel for the game. Great instincts. You can tell he’s watched a lot of film. Playing fast is understanding. I feel like he plays fast, he understands.”
Newton could end up as that long-term successor behind Hilton, too, though that’s a long ways out for a rookie just getting to spring activities.
There’s also the Dax Hill factor, as the former first-rounder undergoes a position change and could end up at either the slot or boundary spots as soon as next season.
Still, there are few better outright players to model one’s game after than the versatile Hilton, so Newton appears to have the right approach early in his pro career.
