Keyshawn James-Newby

Keyshawn James-Newby, who has two siblings, was born in Pocatello, Idaho. After his freshman year at Pocatello High School, James-Newby moved to Helena, Mont., where he became a standout on the football field. As a senior linebacker and defensive end, he posted 49 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, eight sacks, three forced fumbles and an interception. He enrolled at NAIA Montana Tech, where he became a standout pass rusher. He transferred to FCS Idaho in 2023 and became an FCS All-American in 2024. Taking advantage of 390 Back to table of contents -- 394 of 629 -- the extra year of eligibility granted by the NCAA because of the COVID-19 pandemic and an NAIA eligibility waiver, he entered the portal ahead of his final season and followed head coach Jason Eck from Idaho to New Mexico. He led the Mountain West in sacks in 2025. James-Newby has adequate definition and arm length in his upper half, with a lighter, tapered lower half. As a pass rusher, he wins with burst and bend to outrace blockers around the arc. He doesn’t have much force behind his swipe attempts, and you’d like to see him mix up his moves to avoid predictability. In the run game, he does an adequate job extending to set an edge and fighting his way to the ball. He needs to be more reliable as a tackler, both in terms of his technical breakdown and finishing strength. Overall, James-Newby doesn’t offer much of a power element, but he has pass-rush twitch that draws your eye and will give him a chance to make an NFL roster.