When the Newton family drives past the football stadium at Walnut Grove High School in Prosper, Texas, the younger children often say the same thing.
“Hey, thatap Cam’s stadium!”
The oldest of the Newton children, Cam was a star running back for the Walnut Grove Wildcats for the past three years and he’s soon to be one of the newest members of the Colorado football team.
And, he’s a role model for his four siblings, all at least six years younger.
“Thatap kind of cool that they’re thinking that thatap where only I play,” he said of the WGHS stadium. “And, they’re just loving having a brother thatap, like, going places right now.”
A 5-foot-10, 185-pound running back, Newton is set to graduate from Walnut Grove on May 22 and move to Boulder on May 24, reporting as one of two true freshmen who have signed but not yet enrolled at CU. (A dozen others signed and enrolled in January.)
“I’m just ready to get up there,” Newton told BuffZone. “Seeing, like, all like the videos and just watching them with spring ball and all that, itap just been making me excited to see what we have going on there for sure.”
Newton was an under-the-radar recruit, despite a sensational high school career.
Walnut Grove opened in the fall of 2023, which was Newton’s sophomore year. That season, he rushed for 709 yards and 10 touchdowns while sharing carries.
In 2024, he rushed for 2,007 yards and 31 touchdowns and helped the Wildcats to a district championship. This past year, he was named the 4-5A Division II MVP, leading WGHS to a 12-1 record, 4-5A Division II championship and a trip to the third round of the state playoffs. He rushed for 2,402 yards and 41 touchdowns, topping the 100-yard mark in all 13 games. He also caught 35 passes for 388 yards and three touchdowns.
Despite all of his success, Newton didn’t have a star rating by 247Sports in January (he’s now rated a three-star). He did have 19 scholarship offers, but mainly from FCS schools and the service academies.
“It was definitely hard mentally, because I thought I checked all the boxes,” he said of not having any Power Four offers. “But it was just, like, God just testing, making me just stay true with him because he had a course for me and he knew that I was going to be where I’m supposed to be.”
On Jan. 14, he received an offer from CU. He committed five days later and signed with the Buffs on Feb. 4.
“They just love that I’m patient but I’m also fast and, like, I’m just an all-purpose back,” Newton said of what CU coaches said they liked about his game. “I can catch the ball, so thatap another weapon that they said that can actually help us for sure.”
Newton visited CU in January and returned to Boulder for the spring game on April 11. Along the way, he’s been learning the plays and getting ready to compete for playing time in CU’s new Go-Go offense, led by coordinator Brennan Marion.
“I’m just excited to have the opportunity to … be on the field if I do what I’m supposed to do,” he said. “Just the variety of stuff that could just show my utility because my end goal, my dream is to go to the NFL, and just to be able to showcase that I can do all things is another step to get there.”
Newton will compete in a crowded backfield that includes senior DeKalon Taylor and junior Micah Welch, who were both with the Buffs last year. The running back room also includes transfers Damian Henderson II, Jaquail Smith and Richard Young, as well as four walk-ons.
“They’re all dawgs and we got fast, we got hard runners, so we just have a whole toolbox, basically, of running backs in there,” Newton said. “I’ve been studying nonstop and just working hard because my goal is to try to play as a true freshman.”
If he can, the Newtons might one day refer to Folsom Field as “Cam’s stadium.” They are already all-in as a family. In fact, even the family dog has a black and gold leash, Newton said.
“They’re all black and gold right now,” he said. “They all look up to me. So itap like I’m like their idol in a way.”
