Daquan Newkirk paused for a moment Sunday as he looked back on the winding journey that led him to Auburn.

Originally a member of Auburn's 2016 recruiting class, Newkirk didn't qualify and had to go the junior college route, spending two seasons at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College as he readied himself for the moment he got to finally come to Auburn, where he has remained committed throughout the process.

"Long, very long," Newkirk said of the journey. "As you guys can tell, very long. It's just good for it to finally be over."

Newkirk, a three-star defensive lineman, moved in to his on-campus dorm over the weekend during his official visit. He will officially sign his National Letter of Intent on Wednesday during the junior college signing period, and he will begin practicing with the Auburn on Monday as the team continues its preparations for the Peach Bowl on Jan. 1 against UCF.

All of that hasn't quite settled with the 6-foot-3, 282-pounder -- at least not yet.

"It will hit me on Monday," he said.

Newkirk, who originally committed to Auburn more than two years ago on June 15, 2015, hasn't wavered from that commitment, even through the circuitous path he took to get to this point.

Back then, Newkirk was a little-known defensive end prospect out of Orlando, Fla. He wasn't a flashy guy, but described himself as "an under-the-radar kid trying to get offered."

He got that in Auburn, which in turn stuck with him throughout the process while "a lot of schools turned their back" on Newkirk. Even then, he admittedly didn't try to connect too much with his fellow recruits, which at the time included defensive linemen Derrick Brown, Marlon Davidson and Nick Coe.

Now that he's settled in to his new home on the Plains, Newkirk is ready to make up for lost time with those guys and get an early jump on 2018, when he believes he can be an impactful part of the Tigers' deep defensive line rotation.

"I will come in ready because I have been in JUCO for about two years," Newkirk said. "I think my skill set will fit the program really well."

Newkirk totaled 48 tackles at MGCCC this season, including a team-high nine tackles for a loss, a forced fumble, an interception and three pass breakups. He is rated as the No. 20 JUCO player this cycle and the No. 2 JUCO defensive tackle.

Auburn is likely to use Newkirk similarly to how the program has used Davidson and Coe, as he has the ability to play multiple spots on the defensive line, both at end and on the interior. That versatility, he believes, will pay dividends up front as he rotates along the line, where position coach Rodney Garner likes to play between eight and 10 guys per game.

"That's very important because coming from JUCO we had like seven guys," Newkirk said. "I was basically just in all of the time and we didn't roll. Here it's going to be a good breather, I can say that."

Before he gets that opportunity in 2018 and starts the next chapter in his journey, Newkirk will close the last one when he puts pen to paper on Wednesday and officially becomes a Tiger.

"(The feeling is) overwhelming and also happy," Newkirk said. "I'm still in shock, but it's all a good feeling."

Tom Green is an Auburn beat reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Tomas_Verde.