Make up a list of Texas’ biggest needs in the 2022 class and Evan Stewart may be at the very top. The five-star receiver is one of the best in the country and is getting recognized for it. The 247Sports composite recently moved Stewart up to the No. 3 overall prospect.
It’s easy to forget Stewart was once a Texas commit. Steve Sarkisian had the speedster locked down for just under a month before he decided to open up his recruitment. Wanting to take advantage of the NCAA dead period seemed to be the biggest reason.
Texas has stayed in the race, though. Alongside the Longhorns are some of the biggest SEC programs in the country chasing Stewart. Florida has made an impression early on, with Alabama and LSU lurking in the background. Texas A&M received an unofficial visit as well.
Defensive backs are chasing after Stewart as well. In Frisco Liberty’s season opener on Thursday, he quite literally ran past two defenders for a 58-yard touchdown. The cornerback never had a chance from the time the ball was snapped, followed by a safety late to the party.
You can watch the touchdown, followed by a questionable dead ball penalty, here.
Five-star Frisco (TX) Liberty WR Evan Stewart (@0fficial_evan) opened his season with this 58-yard catch, run and celebration in a 50-49 win
🎥: @samspiegs pic.twitter.com/P9DTikotr6
— Rivals (@Rivals) August 27, 2021
According to the Dallas Morning News, Stewart ended the day with four receptions for 101 yards. Liberty beat Frisco Reedy 50-49, scoring a touchdown and converting a two-point conversion with under 10 seconds remaining.
For Texas to stay in the race for Stewart, a few things must be shown early on in Sarkisian’s debut season.
Winning games is first. This could be said for just about every top-rated recruit in the state. Before committing to Texas, they want to see the product on the field be better. From the season opener against Louisiana to the Oklahoma State game on Oct. 16, finding a way to be at least 5-1 is important. Success on the recruiting trail, especially in the case of Stewart, will follow if so.
The second is how Sarkisian’s use of receivers translates in Austin. The hype around the past two seasons at Alabama’s first-round draft picks will die pretty quickly if players such as Joshua Moore, Jordan Whittington, and Xavier Worthy are not putting up explosive numbers. Stewart’s will not be drawn to poor receiver performances.
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