Greg Newsome II spent the final 12 games last season with the Jaguars after beginning his NFL career with the Browns.
Greg Newsome II's professional career has been up and down since getting selected in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft, and the former Wildcat is getting ready to start his next chapter.
In March, Newsome will enter unrestricted free agency, where he could potentially join his third team in only six seasons. The 25-year-old cornerback had a strong start to his career with the Cleveland Browns, but was traded to Jacksonville last fall while on the last year of his contract.
Newsome will hit the market for the first time in his career. According to The Athletic's Daniel Popper, the former Northwestern star is the No. 125-ranked free agent in the NFL's upcoming class.
"Newsome has the premium long speed to recover on deep routes, and he is at his best as a cloud corner in Cover 2, when he can get depth, fire downhill and finish on routes to the flat," Popper wrote. "But Newsome is late to recognize and anticipate in other areas. He gives up separation too easily in the short area of the field and gets turned around too often. His slender build also prevents him from impacting the run game."
Popper projected Newsome would land a four-year contract worth $48 million. He was ranked the No. 12 free agent cornerback.
Nov 14, 2020; West Lafayette, Indiana, USA; Northwestern Wildcats defensive back Greg Newsome II (2) breaks up the pass to Purdue Boilermakers tight end Payne Durham (87) in the game at Ross-Ade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn ImagesNewsome grew up in the suburbs of Chicago before playing his senior year of high school football at IMG Academy in Florida. He committed to Northwestern as a three-star recruit and immediately made an impact with the Wildcats.
Over three seasons in Evanston, Newsome compiled 71 tackles, 24 pass breakups and an interception while leading a tough Wildcats defense. He was named a Second-Team All-American and First-Team All-Big Ten player in 2020 as Northwestern went 7-2 in a COVID-shortened season.
Newsome was tasked with guarding some of the most versatile athletes in the Big Ten. According to Pro Football Focus, the lockdown corner did not allow a third-down completion during the 2020 regular season and surrendered the lowest completion percentage to opposing wideouts in the conference.
The Browns made Newsome the No. 26 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, just 13 picks after the Los Angeles Chargers took fellow Wildcat Rashawn Slater, who is now the highest-paid offensive tackle in the NFL. Newsome showed promise early in his career by landing on the All-Rookie Team. However, injuries derailed his tenure in Cleveland, and he was shipped off to Jacksonville on Oct. 9.
In 12 games with the Jaguars, Newsome racked up 29 tackles, six pass breakups and an interception. His 2025-26 season was his first as a pro in which he played in all 17 regular-season games.
NFL free agency will begin when the new league year starts on Mar. 11.