The Newton surname, after a lengthy sabbatical, will continue on at Auburn football.
In late September, there was speculation that Caylin Newton was looking at the possibility of leaving Howard University and continuing his collegiate playing career elsewhere. On his personal Twitter account in early October, Newton, the younger brother of Heisman Trophy winner Cam Newton, announced that he had placed his name into the NCAA transfer database.
The younger Newton’s decision came amidst a cloud of controversy at the FCS school.
Seven months later, Caylin Newton took to Twitter again to announce his new home. Which will be the same as his famous brother’s last collegiate home in 2010: Auburn football.
On The Plains, Newton will have two years of eligibility to use. Obviously, moving up to the FBS, he’ll be eligible to play immediately for the Tigers in 2020.
In 2017, Newton was named as the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Rookie of the Year; a year later, he earned MEAC Offensive Player of the Year honors. In the run-up to the 2019 campaign, he was named MEAC Preseason Player of the Year.
Through four games this season, Newton had completed 65-of-127 passes for 815 yards, six touchdowns and three interceptions. He also accounted for 61 yards and another touchdown on 58 carries.
His biggest claim to fame — aside from his brother, of course — came in his first-ever game at the collegiate level as Newton led 45-point underdog Howard to a 43-40 win over UNLV that served as the biggest point-spread upset in college football history. Newton accounted for 330 yards of offense and three total touchdowns in the historic win.
That performance led to effusive praise from his older brother, who also took a shot at Georgia for failing to recruit his younger sibling.