Earned Not Given
Craig Lawson
Sheldon Newton began playing football when he was 6 years old and knew then he wanted to complete a high level.
“I have an uncle who is three years older than me and I was playing with 11 and 12 year olds,” Newton said.
He grew up in Chicago before moving to California, where he attended San Jacinto High School in San Jacinto, California.
“During my sophomore year, my high school coach (Aric Galliano) sat me down and told me I could play at the next level if I worked hard.”
After graduating from San Jacinto, Newton enrolled at FCS member Northern Arizona. Over three seasons, he played in 27 games, including 15 starts. After his junior season in 2022, he entered the transfer portal.
Newton drew interest from Cincinnati and Boise State and became a Bronco because of the relationship he developed with Bronco head coach Spencer Danielson.
“Coach Danielson reached out to me every day to see how I was doing,” Newton said. “He did not make it all about football. Then, I really connected with him during my visit.”
The admiration Newton has for Danielson is reciprocated by his coach.
“Sheldon is a phenomenal teammate who would do anything for his brothers on this team,” Danielson stated. “He plays hurt and battles to be everything for this team. God has an amazing plan for his life. He has the mentality to be successful in anything he puts his hand to. I love him dearly.”
In 2023, Newton played in each of Boise State’s 14 games as part of a Mountain West championship team. This season, he has appeared in 11 games and recorded 18 tackles, including a pair of sacks.
As a team, the Broncos are second nationally with 51 sacks, one behind Ole Miss, and lead the country with 347 sack yards. Boise State has 104 tackles for loss for a total of 469 yards.
“We definitely knew we want to get way more sacks than we did the previous year,” Newton said. “We didn’t talk about it too much. We just put in the work. We changed up some techniques and then it was brought to life with the scheme.”
Jayden Virgin-Morgan, a redshirt sophomore EDGE, and senior defensive end Ahmed Hassanein each rank in the top 20 nationally with 10 and 8.5 sacks, respectively.
"Playing with those guys is really fun,” Newton said. “We built chemistry back in the spring. I know if I do my job on first and second down, they are going to do their job on third down.”
Off the field, Newton graduated last week with a degree in social sciences and a minor in social work. He has eight brothers and sisters and is the first among them to earn a college degree. When football is over, he wants to give back to the communities he calls home.
“I plan to start a program within a school district to provide role models for kids,” Newton said. “I was born and raised in Chicago and moved to California for high school so I want to start at home.”
Newton added, “I’m blessed to be in this position because of football. I had a good support system growing up and I want to give people a route who do not play sports.
Like Newton, Boise State has accomplished a lot this year. The Broncos repeated as Mountain West champions for the first time in school history, are ranked ninth nationally and seeded third in the College Football Playoff which begins Friday. The Broncos are considered underdogs by several pundits and will take on either Penn State or SMU in the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl, December 31.
“It is big time,” Newton said. “We set the goal in January about what we wanted to accomplish. I honestly feel like we can compete with anyone in the nation. We are blessed to be here and people just need to give a chance. Put the ball down and let us play.”
A true success story, Newton credits his coaches, teammates and Boise State.
“Being a Boise State Bronco is a major accomplishment in my life,” Newton said. “It is a brotherhood and a family. It taught me how to communicate better and take on responsibility. I learned to show up for work every day because everything in life is earned, not given. It taught me how to be a better man.”
Erik Chinander, Boise State's defensive coordinator/defensive line coach, added, “Sheldon is an elite football player and an even better person. He transferred to Boise State and immediately gained the respect and trust of his coaches, teammates and instructors. I'm proud of what he accomplished athletically and academically.”
Being a Boise State Bronco is a major accomplishment in my life. It is a brotherhood and a family. It taught me how to communicate better and take on responsibility. I learned to show up for work every day because everything in life is earned, not given. It taught me how to be a better man.Sheldon Newton