Everything is big in Texas, including football. The sport means a lot to the people that live there. Professional, college, even high school attract plenty of attention from the state.
Just about every college recruits from the state at some point during a cycle. The top players from the state are often offered by all the top schools in the nation. That’s the case for the top player in the state, Liberty Wide Receiver Evan Stewart.
Stewart is the number three prospect in the nation and the top receiver on the 247sports composite. He has offers listed from almost 40 schools, including Alabama, LSU, Texas, Texas A&M, Florida, and Oklahoma. Not surprising considering 247sports calls him “one of the most dynamic athletes in this cycle.”
When a prospect gets called a dynamic athlete, it better show up on the film. In Stewart’s case, The expectations are met on the first play of his junior highlights. He lines up in the slot, then motions over to the backfield before the snap. Once the ball is snapped, Stewart catches a screen, makes one defender miss, gets through a crowd, breaks a tackle, and outruns everyone else.
The following play was also a screen that Stewart took for a touchdown. This time, he broke two tackles, made another one miss, and cut back into the middle of the field before outrunning everyone again. The red zone play after showed him making a move at the top of the route to get an open window for his quarterback. It worked, and the play went for another touchdown.
What about when he runs a deep route? Well, on one play, he ran a simple go route to the endzone. The corner was seven yards off the line of scrimmage, and Stewart managed to mess with him long enough for him to find the ball for another touchdown.
Stewart is a threat anytime he has the ball in his hands. There’s always a chance for a big play whenever he touches it. He has elite speed that allows him to outrun just about everyone. Stewart also processes the quickness necessary to make anyone miss when trying to tackle him.
Stewart is not just an athlete playing football. He’s a complete player that doesn’t just rely on his abilities. Stewart’s route running stands out in his film. He’s ahead of where most receivers would be at this time. He makes an effort to block when he doesn’t have the ball in his hands. With his speed, Stewart will also make an impact on special teams.
Stewart will have to continue to become a complete receiver to get to his potential. He’ll also have to learn that, in college, there will be players that are as fast or faster than him.
Stewart has the potential to step on the field right away for whichever college he decides to attend. Whoever gets him will be getting a receiver who could develop into an All-American.
