clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

23 DAYS TO 2023 KICKOFF: Asa Newsom

In which BracketCat counts down the 23rd day until the 2023 kickoff with a profile of Kansas State linebacker Asa Newsom.

By BracketCat
/ new

If you buy something from an SB Nation link, Vox Media may earn a commission. See our ethics statement.

#23 Julius Brents
With star cornerback Julius Brents (23) off the NFL, his jersey number is now available for promising true freshman linebacker Asa Newsom.
Photo by John Bunch/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

#23 Asa Newsom

True Freshman | 6-3 | 217 lbs. | Waverly, Iowa
Asa Newsom
Asa Newsom
Courtesy Kansas State Athletics
  • Position: Linebacker
  • Previous College: None
  • Projection: Redshirt
  • Status: On Scholarship

Asa Newsom (b. Jan. 7, 2005) is a speedy, tough young linebacker with good awareness from Waverly-Shell Rock High School in Iowa who plans on majoring in psychology.

He did not arrive on campus until fall camp but is already raising some eyebrows, being one of three true freshman that Chris Klieman highlighted during Tuesday’s press conference.

That said, I still expect him to redshirt in 2023 barring injuries, as we are deep at linebacker.

Newsom prepped under head coach Mark Hubbard at WSRHS, where he was ranked No. 131 among all prospects in the Class of 2023 by On3, which viewed him as the 10th-best linebacker in the class and the third-best overall prospect in the state of Iowa.

He led the Go-Hawks with 66 tackles during his senior season to go along with six tackles for loss, while he had more than 1,000 offensive yards from scrimmage and 11 touchdowns.

Newsom was named to the 2022 Elite Team and a first-team all-state performer by The Des Moines Register, in addition to being named a first-team all-state honoree from the Iowa Print Sports Writers Association (IPSWA) and Iowa Football Coaches Association.

He also was voted the Class 4A-District 2 Defensive Most Valuable Player as a senior and named to The Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier’s All-Iron Man team in 2022.

Finally, Newsom also was a first-team all-state honoree as a junior from both the Register and IPSWA, as well as a first-team all-district selection as a sophomore, junior, and senior.

Pretty impressive stuff for a guy who had to rehabilitate and overcome an ACL tear in 2019!

Newsom picked K-State over offers and strong regional competition from Iowa, Kentucky, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, South Dakota, Stanford and Vanderbilt, as well as interest from Indiana, Iowa State, Notre Dame and Wisconsin.

His father, Marcus, who played collegiate football at Butler Community College and ran track at Bethany College, is the head track and field coach at Wartburg College, while his older brother, Mosai, spent four years as a defensive lineman under Scott Frost at Nebraska.

Loading comments...