Cam Newton knows what it feels like to be slept on. Overlooked. Underrated.
With a name synonymous with a former Heisman Trophy and NFL MVP-winning quarterback, Newton has had to make a name for himself in the state of Texas. The Colorado football commit has done just that.
Over the last two seasons of varsity football at Walnut Grove High School (Prosper, Texas), Newton put up video-game numbers. The 5-foot-10, 180-pound running back rushed for an eye-popping 2,402 yards and 41 TDs in 2025 as a senior. It was Newton’s second consecutive season with 2,000-plus rushing yards (2,007 yards and 31 rushing TDs in 2024 as a junior).
Despite the unreal production, Newton flew relatively under the radar. He’s still ranked as a zero-star recruit on 247Sports and held just a handful of Division I offers from mostly Ivy League Schools.
The lack of recruiting attention has motivated him.
“The competitive mindset that I have and just wanting to prove that I’m one of the top backs wherever I’m at. That’s my motivation,” Cam Newton told DNVR. “I’m an overall back. I can catch passes and be used on 3rd and 1.
“With my vision, I feel like I’m an every-down back.”
Colorado was the first Power 4 school to offer Newton and get him on campus for an official visit. The Buffs made initial contact with Newton just a couple of weeks ago and offered him on Jan. 14. Colorado assistant RBs coach Johnnie Mack was the first one on staff to make contact and it didn’t take long for Newton to be sold on Boulder.
Not only did the Buffs identify his talent, they made him and his family feel at home.
“I definitely feel like I should be ranked up higher and more valued, but I’m just blessed to have Colorado give me an opportunity and take a chance on me.
“It (the visit) was awesome. Everyone was so genuine and everything felt truly real. There was nothing fake about Boulder. The coaches also have that competitive mindset and it’s just the place you want to be at. They’ll put me in the right spot to succeed in life.”
Cam Newton is the first high school RB to commit to Colorado in the Brennan Marion era. Marion’s Go-Go offense is a two-back, power-run scheme that fits Newton’s skillset well.
He might not have the size or strength of a Power 4 RB just yet, but Newton’s vision and patience helps make up for that. Newton is a one-cut runner with home-run speed who can truly benefit from the Go-Go offense’s unique wrinkles.
It also doesn’t hurt that Newton has some familiarity with Go-Go concepts.
“He (Marion) knows ball and he’s proven it over the years,” Cam Newton told DNVR. “He just wants some dogs on the field and his playmakers to make plays.
“A lot of the offense and plays he was showing are a lot like the sets I have already ran in high school.”
Even if Mack and Marion think you’re a good fit, Deion Sanders has the final say. Coach Prime and Newton’s family bonded over their shared Texas roots, so much so that they lost track of time.
“The meeting was only supposed to be 30 minutes but we were just enjoying the conversation and it ran over an hour,” Cam Newton said of his time with Deion Sanders.
The recruiting attention and stars (or lack thereof) don’t mean much anymore. Cam Newton is committed to Colorado and he now has his chance to prove that he belongs at this level.
There shouldn’t be any doubt after he was named MVP of the Army All-American Bowl with two TDs against plenty of Power 4 talent, but Newton knows there’s still a long way to go.
“My goal is just to be on the field early and prove that I can make plays in the Big 12,” Cam Newton told DNVR. “I also want to prove that unranked kids can do something, too. There’s lots of people I know who have been overlooked.”
Follow Colorado Buffaloes beat reporter Scott Procter on X.