Fewer catches do not disguise better blocking skills

By Cliff Kirkpatrick
Corvallis Gazette-Times

Joe Newton’s alleged poor season receiving-wise turned out to be the best development for him in terms of his football future.

The Oregon State star tight end is one of the top prospects at his position in next year’s NFL draft because he worked on other aspects of his game.

Scouts and evaluators noticed changes in the 6-foot-7, 256-pounder from Roseburg. NFL Draft Countdown and NFL Draft Blitz say he’s the second best tight end in the draft, behind either Minnesota’s Matt Spaeth or Nebraska’s Matt Herian.

“I don’t know a lot about that stuff,” Newton said. “I’ve been focusing on playing here, and seeing what I can do. Obviously, the tight end position is complicated. You have to be able to do a lot of things. The most important thing to do is show you can block first and then if you can block, show that you can catch. Hopefully, I improved my blocking and showed them I can do it.”

Newton was considered one of the top receiving tight ends in college since his sophomore season, when he caught 56 passes for 687 yards and seven touchdowns.

Everyone expected a big junior season, but a lower leg injury the first day of practice kept him out for the 2005 season. Surgery was required and a long rehabilitation period followed.

He returned for his senior season fully healed, but it was midseason before he gained the confidence that the freak injury wouldn’t happen again. Newton only caught 30 passes for 392 yards and five touchdowns.

“I didn’t have quite the production I expected for myself,” Newton said. “That being said, our team has done better than it has ever done since I’ve been here. I’m extremely happy with how the whole season went. I didn’t get as many catches I wanted, but I contributed in a positive way. I was happy with what I was asked to contribute. The result for the team is what I play for.”

Throughout the season he turned into a better player. Newton was considered in the lower portion of the top 10 of tight ends before the season. By midseason he had jumped to the top.

Opponents double covered him, so the Beavers used him as a decoy. Newton never complained. He just worked on his blocking.

“It was a question,” offensive coordinator Danny Langsdorf said of Newton’s blocking. “People knew his ability as a receiver, but he needed to improve blocking. And he’s done that. He’s a better run blocker and good in pass protection. He’s still a good route runner, and improved on his releases. His overall game has gotten better even though his production is down.”

After the Sun Bowl, Newton will turn his attention to the NFL. He’ll play in the Jan. 27 Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala. It is a prime showcase all-star game for the top pro prospects.

Newton is looking for a training facility to attend so he will be ready for the combine, where scouts grade athletes in various drills to gauge their athletic ability.

“His real strength is his size and his red-zone catching,” said an NFL talent evaluator familiar with the Beavers. “He has to be a better line of scrimmage player. He has to get bigger. He does have receiving skills but I’m not sure if he’s athletic or fast enough to be a receiver only.”

Another knock on Newton is his mental makeup, which scouts will test. There is a perceived lack of intensity that comes from his being a quiet, lead-by-example leader.

Early in the season when he was gaining confidence in his leg, there were times he avoided contact and gave up first downs. He admitted mistakes then, and it hasn’t been an issue since.

“It’s very important for me,” Newton said of the NFL. “It’s a dream since I was a kid. When people get to know me, they mistake my interest in other areas as a lack of interest in pursuing football, and it’s definitely not that. I just like a lot of different things. I’m passionate about my major and school. Just because I’m passionate about other things does not mean the most important thing in my life right now isn’t pursuing my football career.”