Bengals Day 3 draft pick was already studying tape of his future teammate before Cincinnati drafted him

Cincinnati Bengals fifth-round pick Josh Newton has only been in the Queen City for two days, and his respect for nickelback Mike Hilton is already immense.

"First of all, he's a very good and high IQ player," said Newton after arriving to Paycor Stadium for Friday's rookie minicamp. "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."

That admiration didn't just begin when his name was called to the Bengals. Newton would've entered the NFL familiar with Hilton's game no matter where he landed. 

In speaking to Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com, Newton revealed he spent time before the NFL Draft studying Hilton's tape. 

"Newton knows all about Hilton, the Bengals' savvy eight-year slot cornerback. Not only do they share similar traits with versatility and a supersonic football intellect, but Newton had been studying Hilton a couple of weeks before the draft 'just because I love studying football.'" - Bengals.com's Geoff Hobson

The way Hilton plays the game does not match with how most at his position play. Hilton's instinctual understanding on the field allows him to play faster and bigger than he actually is. 

Like Hilton, size and speed aren't strengths for Newton. He asserted himself at TCU by making plays despite his physical shortcomings. Whether he's in the slot or not, there aren't many better players for Newton to study than Hilton.