Former Northwestern Star Listed as Bounce-Back Candidate by PFF
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Earlier this week, Pro Football Focus released an article listing a bounce-back candidate for each of the NFL's 32 teams, and a former Northwestern Wildcat was on the list. Cornerback Greg Newsome II of the Cleveland Browns had a down season last year after a good first three campaigns in the pros.
He posted a career-low coverage grade on PFF of 54.0 after averaging 76.7 in his previous seasons. The article states that this discrepancy was due to Newsome II's lack of PBUs (he only had three) and a spike in missed tackles.
The site reasons that Newsome II is a likely bounce-back candidate because his track record in the NFL is much better than what he showed last season. It's also a massive year for the former NU star since he's currently set to hit the open market next offseason.
Newsome II was also listed in a Bleacher Report article earlier in the week as a potential trade candidate for the Browns. His contract situation could ultimately lead to that, especially if the Browns struggle early in the season and become sellers at the deadline.
At Northwestern, Newsome II had some injury troubles, but his talent was evident when he was on the field. He finished his college career with 71 total tackles, one TFL and one pick in three seasons. Those numbers aren't overly impressive, but he was still drafted with pick No. 26 in the first round of the 2021 NFL draft.
The Browns will hope Newsome II can return to the form he showed at Northwestern and in the first three seasons of his NFL career. He could be a building block for the future, or an enticing trade candidate, depending on what route Cleveland decides to go.
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Ryan Cole is a writer for Northwestern Wildcats On SI covering every team on campus. He’s currently a junior at NU where he’s studying journalism and previously wrote and edited for Inside NU. He also studies business with an eye towards eventually helping develop business models to revive local news. In his free time, Cole enjoys watching sports, playing sports, reading the news and singing.