Four-star recruit Woody Newton announced his verbal commitment to Syracuse via Twitter on Tuesday. The 6-foot-8, 190-pound forward from Mt. Zion Prep (Maryland) was recruited primarily by assistant coach Allen Griffin, per 247sports.com. He’s ranked No. 73 in his class by rivals.com and is the first Class of 2020 commitment for Syracuse. He chose the Orange over seven other Division I schools, including Xavier, Maryland, Seton Hall, Cincinnati, Penn State, Kansas State and Virginia Tech.

“I will bring to any program a tough player that will lock up any best player in the country,” Newton said at the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League session in Dallas last weekend. “I’m always giving my all, 110%, and I’m ready to work, no matter what.”

In 13 EYBL games this summer, Newton averaged 5.7 points and 3.5 rebounds per game. He shot 47.1% from the field and 40% on 20 3-pointers. He also made 18 of his 35 free throw attempts.

Newton called himself the best defender in the country at the EYBL session in Dallas last weekend, and with a long, lanky frame, he affected shots at the rim and had the lateral movement to stay in front of guards on the perimeter. In EYBL this year, he averaged 0.9 steals and 0.4 blocks per game and earned playing time at crucial moments on a talented Team Takeover squad with his defensive presence.

“Just being long, wily, as well as being able to guard multiple positions my whole life, I always prided myself on defense,” Newton said over the weekend.

Syracuse currently has four players listed at the same position as Newton: juniors Marek Dolezaj, Bourama Sidibe and Elijah Hughes and sophomore Robert Braswell.