The journey Idaho senior defensive end Keyshawn James-Newby has taken is not the same path as most other college athletes who have aspirations of making it to the National Football League, but it is a path that the lineman is grateful for.

“He is a good example of a guy who has all the arrows in his life pointed in the right direction,” Idaho coach Jason Eck said. “He is doing a great job.”

Coming out of Helena High School in Montana, James-Newby was not a highly touted recruit after earning second-team all-conference honors and settled for playing at the NAIA-level at Montana Tech. For the senior, football is football and he was going to play at the college level with anyone who was going to give him the opportunity.

“I’m blessed to have that opportunity because some people don’t even get that opportunity,” James-Newby said. “So I was just blessed to have the opportunity just to be able to even have my college paid for a little bit and go to college, get a degree and make good money at the end of it.”

In his time with the Orediggers, James-Newby played two seasons and tallied 92 total tackles and 13 sacks. In 2022, the 6-foot-2 defensive star led the Frontier Conference with nine sacks and earned first-team All-Frontier Conference honors for his effort.

After two years at the NAIA level, James-Newby looked to transfer up to a higher division and chose Idaho because he said they took the time to recruit him and didn’t just throw an offer at him. The fact that Eck brought him in for a visit was something James-Newby said he “genuinely appreciated.”

As a junior for the Vandals, James-Newby showed off his ability to get to the quarterback and create disruption in the backfield. The defensive lineman played 11 games and tied for the team lead in both quarterback hurries (five) and sacks (five). His seven tackles-for-loss were tied for second on the team.

“He got to us late in (2023); he got here in like June when we started our summer. This is really the first year he is playing where he has been in the program a whole year,” Eck said. “Being around (Caleb) Heim, our strength and conditioning coach, being around all of our nutritional resources — I think he has just utilized everything.”

In the offseason, the Big Sky Conference named James-Newby to its preseason all-conference team. He was one of five Vandals to earn the honor.

Instead of just being one of the better defenders in the conference as was predicted, James-Newby has made a case for being the best defensive player in the league.

In five games this season — four-and-a-half if you take into account that the edge rusher was limited in the 28-26 loss to UC Davis last Saturday — James-Newby has already topped some key statistics from his junior year with seven sacks and 7.5 tackles-for-loss. His seven sacks lead the Big Sky Conference and rank second to Jeremiah Grant of Richmond’s 7.5 sacks in all of the Football Championship Subdivision.

How has James-Newby taken such a leap in production?

“Hard work, man. And it’s funny because I used to always think hard work sometimes never paid off. But no, it genuinely does,” James-Newby said. “And having discipline; you gotta be disciplined, man. You know, you gotta be able to stay on top of everything you do, whether it’s practice, whether it’s school.”

James-Newby has excelled off the field as well and said, with a smile on his face, that he had all A’s and one B currently in his grades. He said he has managed that while putting in the work on the field and watching more film. The defender said he watches film on a game or two a night.

“I’ll admit this. You know, I used to be kind of mas o menos (Spanish for more or less) showing up on time. I wasn’t horrible, obviously, but, you know, there was probably a time or two where I’d show up late,” James-Newby said. “That really bit into me and I don’t like ever messing up especially when it affects the whole team. Being late really doesn’t affect the whole team, but in my belief it does something that can (have an effect) over time.”

The preseason All-Big Sky member showed off his dancing ability after the win against Wyoming when he was interviewed by the TruTV broadcast team that included one of his heroes — Victor Cruz, a former NFL star for the New York Giants. Cruz was known for his salsa dance after every touchdown, and, after the 17-13 UI victory, it was James-Newby who was doing the salsa. Though he did admit that he needed to work on his footwork after the game.

James-Newby was a running back in youth league and took after another New York Giant, Ahmad Bradshaw. When the Helena High School graduate transitioned to defense, he used the No. 44 in honor of Bradshaw. This year, the senior has transitioned to wearing No. 1 because he said he had the opportunity to have it and took it.

A quarterback’s worst nightmare, James-Newby has recorded at least one sack in four-of-five games this season. He had three sacks and a forced fumble against the Cowboys. The lone goose egg on his season resume was last Saturday when he was limited with a nagging shoulder injury.

“I hate being limited. I’m not a guy that really likes being limited, but you know, what I have to do for the longevity of the season, I’m willing to (do),” James-Newby said. “Just building that muscle back up and just getting it stronger around the shoulder.”

James-Newby said at first he didn’t think he was going to like the Moscow area because it was a bit smaller than what he was used to in Butte, Mont. However, over his two years he has grown to love it.

“I love the fall weather out here and the summer. Just all the green trees and the greenery around here is nice,” James-Newby said. “Also, in the wintertime it doesn’t snow as much as people would think. At least I would say. I think it rains more than it snows in the winter. Just a little more wind chill. So, you know, I love it here. I enjoy it.”

After the season, James-Newby hopes to climb the football ladder one more rung and play professionally. He is hoping all of that hard work he has put in, and the success he has had so far will be enough to prove his worth to any NFL scout who might be watching. However, he is not resting on his recent success and wants to improve every day.

“You know, what do they say? Last one, best one,” James-Newby said. “I plan on giving it my all. Each game, giving it my all, you know. Just take it step-by-step, week-by-week, day-by-day. We should be good.”

Isbelle can be reached at 208-848-2268, risbelle@lmtribune.com or on X (formerly Twitter) @RandyIsbelle.