Major Newman recalled his mother’s advice when making his college decision.
Nicole Newman always tells her son, “football is what you do not who you are.”
What Newman can become after graduation from college led the Alcoa (Tenn.) linebacker’s commitment to Army during his official visit this weekend.
“This weekend honestly put the icing on the cake,” Newman said. “There is just not another university in the nation that can give you the opportunities and rewards that this school gives you.
“It honestly felt like a huge relief came off my shoulders (when he committed). (Army) just felt like home.”
Army was one of Newman’s first offers but he admittedly didn’t have much interest in the Black Knights at first. As the conversations with Cort Braswell continued, the connection grew stronger with Army’s linebackers coach. Navy and Georgia Southern offered Newman earlier in the recruiting process. Division I-AA schools East Tennessee State and Charleston Southern were also in the mix.
Newman said he was impressed by the academic buildings on post and, “how accessible everything.” He also met fellow Tennessean and Army sophomore defensive end Austin Hill on the visit.
“The opportunities you get here, you just can’t find it anywhere else,” Newman said. “I’m making a 40-year investment not a four-year one.”
Newman, who is 6-foot-3 and 190 pounds, helped Alcoa to its seventh straight Tennessee state title his senior season. He had eight tackles and blocked a punt in the championship game.
“They’re (Army is) getting a player who’s selfless and will always put the team’s needs before my own,” said Newman, who says “Starburst and Skittles are basically my life.” Also a guy who will do whatever it takes to win and make my guys better.”
2022 Army football commits (86)
DE Amir Ali, 6-2, 235, Holy Cross HS, San Antonio, Texas: First offer – Army
WR Tay Andrews, 6-3, 190, Lockhart (Texas) HS: Other offers – Oklahoma State (preferred walk-on)
*OL Henry Appleton, 6-3, 275, Denton Ryan HS, Denton, Texas: Other offers – Air Force. Helped Denton Ryan to Texas 5A state title as junior.
RB JaRay Austin, 5-9, 160, Owasso (Okla.) HS: Air Force offered Austin after he announced his commitment to Army in late January.
*RB Donovan Baker, 5-10, 190, Woodberry Forest (Va.) HS: Other offers – Navy.
*K Charlie Barnett, 6-2, 185, Westlake HS, Austin, Texas: First offer – Army
CB Josh Baskerville, 6-1, 170, Don Bosco Prep, West Point, N.Y.: Baskerville’s father, John is 1990 West Point graduate and the Deputy Head of the Department of Foreign Languages at the academy.
*DE Jack Bousum, 6-5, 225, St. Mary’s HS, Annapolis, Md.: First offer – Navy
DE/LB C.J. Bowens, 6-4, 210, The Benjamin School, Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.: Other offers – Navy. Senior stats – 58 tackles, 11 sacks.
*OL Ned Brady, 6-4, 245, New Canaan (Conn.) HS: Other offers – Navy, Boston College, Rutgers, Syracuse, Buffalo
*K Anderson Britton, 5-10, 155, Heritage HS, Ringgold, Ga.
*OL CJ Brooks, 6-1, 277, Warner Robins (Ga.) HS: First offer – Army.
TE Maurice Brown, 6-4, 215, CH Flowers HS, Springdale, Md.: Other offers – Navy
*S Caden Brungard, 6-1, 190, Western Wayne HS, Lake Ariel, Pa.: Other offers – Air Force
QB Chris Calhoun, 6-2. 190, Sandalwood HS, Jacksonville, Fla.: Other offers – Navy, UConn. Flipped his commitment from Navy to Army. Former UConn commit.
*RB David Clerk, 5-9, 160, Centennial HS, Burleson, Texas
S Connor Clinton, 6-1, 190, Casteel HS, Queen Creek, Ariz.: Other offers – Navy, Arizona, Arizona State
QB Bryce Davis, 5-11, 175, Vidalia (Ga.) HS: First offer – Army.
S Christian Davis, 5-11, 185, American Christian Academy, Tuscaloosa, Ala.: Other offers – Southern Mississippi
*DL Mason Davis, 6-2, 260, Denton Ryan HS, Denton, Texas: Other offers – Air Force, Hawaii, North Texas. Helped Denton Ryan to Texas state 5A championship
*WR Michael Davis, 6-1, 205, Denton Ryan HS, Denton, Texas: First offer – Army.
*OL Sam Dec, 6-4, 250, Nease HS, Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.: Other offers – Navy, Air Force, Marshall, Appalachian State, Florida International, Georgia Southern, UConn, Western Kentucky, Georgia State, Colorado State, Troy, UMass.
*CB RJ DeMadet, 5-9, 160, Memorial HS, Frisco, Texas: Other offers – Navy, Air Force
DE-TE David Dunston, 6-3, 230, William Penn HS, New Castle, Del.
RB Kam Edge, 5-10, 170, Benedictine Military School, Savannah, Ga.
*RB Omari Embree, 5-8, 170, Warren Woods Tower HS, Detroit, Mich.: Other offers – Central Michigan. Ranked 58th best player in Michigan by 247 Sports
DT Dylan Faniel, 6-2, 260, Benedictine Prep, Richmond, Va.: Other offers – Navy.
OL Paolo Gennarelli, 6-3, 280, St. Charles North (Ill.) HS: Other offers – Wyoming
S-LB Esteban Guillory, 6-1, 195, Cornerstone Christian HS, San Antonio, Texas: First offer – Army. Other offers – Navy.
DE Caden Harman, 6-3, 240, Sierra Canyon School, Chatsworth, Calif.
DL Kody Harris, 6-2, 295, Middletown (Del.) HS: Other offers – Navy, Air Force. Visited Army, Navy and Air Force.
OT Elijah Haughawout, 6-4, 265, Lambert HS, Suwanee, Ga.: Other offers – Navy
*QB Cale Hellums, 5-11, 185, Tomball (Texas) HS: First offer – Army. Rushed for 1,796 yards junior year.
*DL Marc Hernandez, 6-4, 315, Bell HS, Hurst, Texas: Other offers – Air Force
CB DJ Hill-Smith, 6-2, 177, Little Rock (Ark.) Central HS: Other offers – Arkansas State
*DE Nate Holt, 6-6, 240, Unionville (Pa.) HS
*S Garren Huey, 5-10, 175, Memorial HS, Frisco, Texas: 2021 stats – 78 tackles, 3 INTs
QB Ja’Mar Jessie, 6-1, 195, Navasota (Texas) HS: First FBS offer – Army
OL Kendrick Kirby, 6-3, 270, Calhoun (Ga.) HS: Other offers – Air Force, Memphis, Arkansas State, Marshall.
*DT Bridger Knee, 6-2, 250, Baylor School, Chattanooga, Tenn.: Other offers – Ball State, Utah State
DE Joey Knight, 6-3, 230, Choate Rosemary Hall, Wallingford, Conn.: Played 2021 spring season at Wellesley (Mass.) before transferring to Choate Rosemary Hall
DE Jack Latore, 6-5, 245, Middletown (N.J.) South HS: Other offers – Tulane, Temple
*OL Tyler Lee, 6-2, 285, Tomball (Texas) HS: Other offers – Air Force, Tulsa, Marshall, Louisiana-Lafayette, Texas State
WR Jaden Leonard, 6-foot, 170, Stony Point HS, Round Rock, Texas
*OL James Maloney, 6-7, 260, Taft School, Watertown, Conn.: Other offers – UMass. Massachusetts resident.
*S Collin Matteson, 6-foot, 175, Oklahoma Christian School, Edmond, Okla.
OL Luke McCurdy, 6-3, 267, Park City (Utah) HS: Other offers – Navy, Air Force, Nevada
*WR Elo Modozie, 6-3, 195, Bartram Trail HS, Jacksonville, Fla.
*OL Nick Moore, 6-4, 275, Northwest HS, Cincinnati, Ohio: Other offers – Navy, Marshall
LB Major Newman, 6-3, 190, Alcoa (Tenn.) HS: Helped Alcoa to seven straight Tennessee state title, making eight tackles and blocking a punt.
RB-LB Baylor Newsom, 6-3, 220, Bishop Kenny HS, Jacksonville, Fla.: Other offers – Navy.
*DB Ryan Nolan, 5-10, 170, Gainesville (Fla.) HS: Other offers – Navy
*WR Tobi Olawole, 6-1, 185, Buford (Ga.) HS: Former Furman commit.
*OL Lane Parks, 6-5, 275, Yukon (Okla.) HS: Other offers – Air Force, New Mexico, Texas State. Ranked No. 29 in The Oklahoman’s Super 30 for 2021 season. Will be a direct admit.
*LS Jack Pirinelli, 6-1, 240, Blessed Trinity HS, Roswell, Ga.: First offer – Army
*DE-LB Donovan Poe, 6-2, 230, Long Beach (Calif.) Poly HS
WR Kavon Pointer, 6-3, 185, Jonesboro (Ark.) HS: First offer – Army. Other offers – Arkansas State
*LB Steven Powers, 6-foot, 200, Franklin HS, El Paso, Texas: First offer – Army. Second offer – Navy.
FB Jake Rendina, 6-foot, 238, Glacier HS, Kalispell, Wyoming: Other offers – Navy, Air Force
*QB Larry Robinson, 6-foot, 175, Saline (Mich.) HS: Ranked the 81st best quarterback in 2022 class and top QB in Michigan by 247 Sports. Other offers – Navy, Central Michigan.
*FB Hunter Roddy, 6-foot, 220, Chaparral HS, Murrieta, Calif.: Other offers – Navy
LB Holden Sapp, 6-2, 215, Benedictine Military School, Savannah, Ga.: Other offers – Middle Tennessee State. 2020 Region III Class AAAA defensive player of year with 102 tackles, 16 tackles for loss and 12 sacks.
DB Cosey Scarebrook, 6-2, 190, Bob Jones HS, Madison, Ala.
OL Ryan Scott, 6-3, 250, Blessed Trinity HS, Roswell, Ga.: First offer – Army
*DB Zion Sims, 6-foot, 180, Servite HS, Anaheim, Calif.
*DT Brady Small, 6-3, 285, St. Augustine Prep, Richland, N.J.: Other offers – Navy, Kent State
RB Corey Singleton, 5-11, 205, Catholic HS, Baton Rogue, La.: First offer – Army. Other offers – Navy, Air Force
CB Joseph Stephens, 5-11, 175, Fleming Island (Fla.) HS: First offer – Army
*DE-LB Dillon Stowers, 6-4, 235, Liberty Christian Academy, Lynchburg, Va.: Other offers – Navy
C Maicah Talavou, 6-2, 280, St. John Bosco HS, Bellflower, Calif.: First offer – Navy
LB Andon Thomas, 6-1, 200, Liberty Hill (Texas) HS: First offer – Army. Other offers – Air Force.
*TE Toby Thompson, 6-4, 240, Cherokee HS, Canton, Ga.: Other offers – Air Force
OL-DL Joe Traylor, 6-2, 260, Eagle’s Landing Christian Academy, McDonough, Ga.
K David Vaughn, 5-11, 160, Coffee HS, Douglas, Ga.
DE Maurice Veney, 6-4, 235, Roman Catholic HS, Philadelphia, Pa.
*WR Neo Vossschulte, 6-4, 190, Episcopal Academy, Newtown Square, Pa.
WR Tyler Vroman, 6-3, 180, Lowell (Mich.) HS: First offer – Army. Other offers – Michigan State, Eastern Michigan, Central Michigan, Kent State (preferred walk on). Named MVP of Blue-Grey All-American game.
*P James Wagenseller, 6-3, 191, Poway (Calif.) HS
*RB Dakoda Wagner, 6-1, 210, Flagler Palm Coast (Fla.) HS
RB Isaiah West, 6-1, 204, Georgetown Prep, North Bethesda, Md.: Other offers – Navy
*RB Trent White, 5-11, 220, Monterey HS, Lubbock, Texas: First offer – Army. Other offers – Navy.
CB Curtis Whiting, 5-11, 181, Hackensack (N.J.) HS
TE Cooper Wilkinson, 6-3, 235, New Smyrna Beach (Fla.) HS
S Davion Woolen, 6-3, 185, Wakeland HS, Frisco, Texas: Other offers – Air Force, Oklahoma, Utah.
*LB Christian Yousefzadeh, 6-4, 225, Creekside HS, St. John’s, Fla.: Other offers – Georgia Tech
OL Jonah Zimmerman, 6-3, 290, Oceanside (Calif.) HS
*Signed certificate of commitment during early signing period
Commits by state: Texas (19), Georgia (13), Florida (10), California (7), Pennsylvania (4), Maryland (3), Michigan (3), New Jersey (3), Oklahoma (3), Virginia (3), Alabama (2), Arkansas (2), Connecticut (2), Delaware (2), Tennessee (2), Arizona (1), Illinois (1), Louisiana (1), Massachusetts (1), New York (1), Ohio (1), Utah (1), Wyoming (1)
Commits offered by Navy: 27
