A six-year college veteran who bounced from Montana Tech to Idaho to New Mexico, Keyshawn James-Newby turned a 23.5-sack college career into a seventh-round selection by the Eagles.
Keyshawn James-Newby's path to the NFL ran through three different programs and two levels of college football before he finally landed with the Eagles in the seventh round of the 2026 draft. The Montana native became one of the most productive pass rushers in the country as a college veteran, and Philadelphia is betting his relentless motor translates to the pro game.
Path to the league
James-Newby, born in Pocatello, Idaho, and raised in Helena, Montana, began his college career at NAIA Montana Tech, where he racked up 92 tackles and 13 sacks over two seasons and earned first-team All-Frontier Conference recognition. He then moved up to FCS Idaho, before finishing his career at New Mexico in the Mountain West Conference.
Career highlights
James-Newby started 46 games across his six-year college career and finished with 23.5 sacks. At Idaho in 2024, he posted 64 tackles, 14.5 tackles for loss, and 10 sacks, earning first-team All-Big Sky honors and an AP FCS All-American honorable mention. He capped his career at New Mexico with first-team All-Mountain West honors.
2025 season recap
In his lone season at New Mexico, James-Newby recorded nine sacks and 15 tackles for loss as the Lobos went 9-4. The production carried him into the 2026 NFL Draft, where the Eagles selected him in the seventh round, No. 252 overall, via a trade with the Los Angeles Rams, making him the first Eagle drafted out of New Mexico since 1967.
Sources
- Wikipedia: Keyshawn James-Newby
- Philadelphia Eagles: Eagles draft OLB Keyshawn James-Newby No. 252 overall
- ESPN: Keyshawn James-Newby
Player Profile
Background
- Position
- Linebacker
- Group
- defense
- College
- New Mexico
- Hometown
- Helena, MT, USA
- Age
- 24
- Status
- active
