Elijah Newby’s “Still Locked in with SC Regardless”
Cheshire (CT) Academy 4-Star Linebacker Elijah Newby was a late addition to the June 2-4 USC Official Visitor list. Other than knowing USC offered Newby a scholarship back in March, there wasn’t much buzz about him and the Trojans until May.
USC Outside Linebackers Coach Roy Manning visited Newby early in the Spring, so we knew he was a priority. There just hadn’t been much coverage on him. In fact, WeAreSC hadn’t communicated with Newby until after his USC official visit.
But Newby ended committing to the Trojans not long after his June official visit and he’s never looked back. WeAreSC hit Newby up via text on Monday and asked if he had any thoughts on Alex Grinch’s departure?
“I’m still locked in with SC regardless,” was his reply.
As of now, all of the USC commits have told us their commitments to the Trojans are firm.
When Newby knew
When Newby told us after his USC official visit he planned to be back at USC soon, WeAreSC started writing the commitment article. We did get confirmation from sources that a commitment was expected, but this was one of those cases where the writing was on the wall.
Newby shared on Monday night when he knew USC was the move.
“I didn’t really have to think about it once I left my OV (official visit),” said Newby. “USC had everything I was looking for in the college. I just talked to my parents for two days after and we figured out it was the deal. When I first got the offer from USC with Coach (Roy) Manning, he told me what he’s looking for in players. Based off that, I was already kind of persuaded to go there…or at least like them a lot.
“But when I got there for my visit with the staff members and the players, it just was unbelievable. The highlight of the visit was how authentic the staff and players were. I got a lot of different perspectives from current players and former players. They all talked about how real the coaches are and how amazing it is being there.”
Character counts
WeAreSC was also curious what Coach Manning and USC are looking for in a player. Also what they like specifically about Newby as a player.
“Coach Manning said you got to have a good home life and a good head on your shoulders,” Newby said. “And obviously you got to be a good athlete. They like how versatile I am with my body type right now.”
Felt like home
There’s typically a moment on an official visit when a recruit knows he’s found the right school. That is if he’s ready to commit. Newby said he knew USC was the move on the second night of his official visit.
“t was the second night,” said Newby. “The second night I was there on my OV all, all of the staff members and my parents were around me. We were always just hanging around, just chatting it up. And then after that moment, I knew USC was the place. Just felt like home, just felt like everything I knew.
“That’s a big thing for me, making the situation I’m going to feel like home. That’s a big for me.”
Roy Manning & early enrolling
There aren’t many USC coaches who’ve had more success the last 22 months than Roy Manning. He got USC Braylan Shelby and David Peevy in the last class, plus Solomon Byrd and Jamil Muhammad from the transfer portal. Manning also has commitments from Newby, Kameryn Fountain and may get another down the road in Shreveport (LA) Edge Gabriel Reliford who just took his USC official visit Nov. 4.
Newby talked about his relationship with Manning, who he speaks to often.
“Just the knowledge that he gave me from the past few months of him recruiting me, it’s just unbelievable,” said Newby. “I already know that once I get to campus in January, that I’m gonna be able to expand as a player and as a person in general. Enrolling the second semester was a big time decision for me and my parents. I know those eight months you get before somebody comes in Fall, will set me up a long way.”
We should add Manning was at Cheshire Academy last month to see Newby play.
Role in the defense
“Due to my athleticism, Coach (Lincoln) Riley, (Roy) Manning, and (Alex) Grinch see me capable of playing multiple positions, including Will LB, Rush LB, Inside LB, and Outside LB,” Newby said.
USC beats out big list of competitors
Newby, 6-foot-3, 215 pounds, holds 31 offers in his recruitment. Among his offers are Alabama, Penn State, Michigan, Nebraska, South Carolina, Texas Tech, Stanford, Kentucky, Utah, and North Carolina.
Newby is also a very smart prospect, holding offers from Army, Vanderbilt, Yale, Dartmouth, Columbia, and several other Ivy League schools.
USC comes from behind
The Trojans landed a commitment from a prospect who was favored to commit elsewhere. Prior to commitment, The On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine favored Penn State above USC.
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