Doug Haller

azcentral sports

Ryan Newsome informed Arizona State coach Todd Graham early Saturday morning:

He wanted to finish his college career with the Sun Devils.

"He was as excited as I've ever heard a coach," Newsome said.

A 5-foot-8, 184-pound receiver, Newsome last season played at Texas, appearing in seven games as a true freshman, He caught four passes for 23 yards and returned six kickoffs for 110 yards. Earlier this month, he decided to transfer and ultimately cut his list of schools to just two: ASU and Michigan State.

It didn't take long to make a decision.

"ASU reached out to me and wanted to get me up there in Tempe to see the place, so I came, and it was special, man," Newsome said.

In the end, it's not hard to see how he ended up at ASU. Once word leaked he had interest in the Sun Devils, quarterbacks Manny Wilkins and Brady White reached out to Newsome. So did receiver Ellis Jefferson, Oklahoma transfer John Humphrey and Texas transfer Bryson Echols.

Newsome – who says he runs a 4.39 40 – also was familiar with ASU's staff.

Offensive line coach Chris Thomsen used to coach at Abilene Christian, about 125 miles from where Newsome grew up in Aledo, Texas. He was the first ASU coach to offer Newsome a scholarship, doing so while the receiver blossomed into a four-star prospect and two-time All-State selection.

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ASU receivers coach Jay Norvell two years ago recruited Newsome while he worked at Oklahoma. Last year, he actually coached Newsome while he worked at Texas. After the season, Norvell interviewed for ASU's open offensive coordinating job and eventually joined Graham's staff as receivers coach.

Not much later, he found himself recruiting Newsome once again.

"So, yeah, Coach Norvell's recruited me at three different schools now,'' Newsome said.

This week, Newsome visited ASU, but he didn't do so alone. His dad, mom, two brothers and sister also made the trip, a party so big it had to take two cars for the drive from Texas. The ASU staff showed the family renderings of Sun Devil Stadium and the football facility, which will be completed next year.

"I can honestly say, I've been to a lot of places, and it's easily – easily – top five in the country,'' Newsome said of the finished product. "It's phenomenal."

Offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey showed Newsome and his family how he wanted to use him as a slot receiver. He showed film of former Southern Miss receiver Mike Thomas and 1-on-1 cut-ups of former Southern Miss receiver Casey Martin. The two last season combined for 151 receptions and 2,316 receiving yards under Lindsey's watch at Southern Miss.

Newsome already had talked with former high school teammate Daythan Davis – a junior fullback at Southern Miss – about Lindsey and the receivers, so he had a good idea, but "there's nothing like having a visual of how you'll be used instead of (relying on them) just saying it,'' he said.

Newsome also hit it off with special-teams coordinator Shawn Slocum. To tell the truth, Newsome said he was kind of burned out on special teams. As a junior in high school, he had tied a national record by returning seven punts for touchdowns. After a while, it was all anybody wanted to talk to him about.

"I got kind of numb to it, but Coach Slocum revitalized my excitement about doing it,'' Newsome said.

Newsome – who expects to be on campus next week – will have to sit out this season because of NCAA transfer rules. He'll have three years of eligibility starting in 2017. He plans to study broadcast journalism.

"Coach Graham's upset I can't play this year, but I just told him that I'd help make the team better any way I could," Newsome said.

ASU scholarship receiver eligibility chart

Gone after this season:

Frederick Gammage

Tim White

One year eligibility (after this season):

Ellis Jefferson

Cameron Smith

Two years (after this season):

Jalen Harvey

Three years (after this season):

Terrell Chatman

John Humphrey (Oklahoma transfer)*

Ryan Newsome (Texas transfer)*

Four years (after this season):

Frank Darby

N'Keal Harry

Jack Smith

Jeremy Smith

Kyle Williams

2017 commitment

Curtis Hodges

*signings are not yet official.

Contact Doug Haller at 602-444-4949 or at doug.haller@arizonarepublic.com. Follow him on Twitter. Subscribe to the ASU Pick Six Podcast on iTunes.