JN #28

Josh Newton

Cornerback · TCU

A converted wide receiver turned shutdown-caliber corner who started immediately as a Bengals rookie.

Josh Newton is a cornerback for the Cincinnati Bengals who took an unusual road to the NFL, starting his career as a high school wide receiver before developing into a First-team All-Big 12 corner at TCU. Cincinnati drafted him in the fifth round in 2024, and he was starting games for them by the end of his rookie year.

★ First-team All-Big 12 (2022, TCU)

★ Team captain (2023, TCU)

★ Fifth-round pick, 2024 NFL Draft

Path to the league

Newton spent four seasons at Louisiana-Monroe (2018-2021) after converting to cornerback during spring practices, then transferred to TCU for his final two college seasons. He started all 27 games he played across his two years with the Horned Frogs, serving as a team captain in 2023, and the Bengals selected him in the fifth round, 149th overall, of the 2024 NFL Draft.

Career highlights

Newton's breakout came in 2022 at TCU, when he earned First-team All-Big 12 honors with 35 tackles, 12 pass deflections and 3 interceptions while helping lead the Horned Frogs to the College Football Playoff National Championship game. He carried that momentum into the NFL, earning a rookie-year starting job.

2025 season recap

As a rookie in 2024, Newton played all 17 games and started the final six after an injury to another cornerback, finishing with 31 tackles, 7 pass deflections and an interception. He entered 2025 fighting to hold his roster spot amid competition in Cincinnati's secondary.