Neither receiver talent nor depth were much of an issue for the Oregon Ducks after the 2023 season, with returning players like Tez Johnson, Traeshon Holden, and Gary Bryant Jr. leading a young group of potential breakouts such as Jurrion Dickey and Kyler Kasper into the 2024 season.
But if you can get better, then why not get better?
That was Dan Lanning’s mentality when bringing former Texas A&M wide receiver Evan Stewart to Eugene. The former 5-star recruit who was rated as the No. 1 overall WR in the class of 2022 has made an early splash with the Ducks, drawing rave reviews from coaches and fellow players.
So why did he choose to come to Oregon ultimately?
“Honestly, it just suited everything that I was looking for,” Stewart said on Thursday after practice. “I just wanted to be in a great program that had a lot of order and construction. I got here and everything is in order. Honestly, everything is just so much better here.”
Stewart played in 18 games at Texas A&M over the last two years, catching 91 passes for 1,163 yards and 6 touchdowns. While he dealt with injuries throughout his time, as well as rotating quarterback play, the stability that Oregon brings was obviously attractive to him.
Now, in Oregon’s offense, Stewart will have to compete with Tez Johnson and Traeshon Holden for the lion’s share of the targets, but he is ready for the challenge, and knows that he is going to be better for it.
“I’m trying to get them passes,” Stewart said. “At A&M, we were moving the ball, but we weren’t as complete as we could be. Coming here, we’ve definitely got a lot.”
The spring game on Saturday will be a great showcase for Stewart, who is looking to show his new fanbase exactly what he is capable of, and how electric he can be inside Autzen Stadium.
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