Position: Wide receiver
Classification: Sophomore
Hometown: Frisco, TX
Height: 6-0
Weight: 175 lbs.
Key notes from Liucci’s thoughts on Stewart
- Evan Stewart is the most athletic, gifted receiver I have seen come into Texas A&M. There is a long way to go before you are as good of a receiver as Mike Evans and Christian Kirk or even guys like Josh Reynolds, Robert Ferguson, Terrence Murphy and Ryan Swope. In the last 20 years, there have been some incredible receivers at A&M. When it comes to a raw athletic gift at the receiver position, I would put Evan Stewart at the top. He is above Speedy Noil.
- In year one, the impact he had, he didn't just flash. Flashing is making a play here and there. He had nearly 700 yards, 53 or so catches and a couple of touchdowns. You look at who the plays were against and what he did against Alabama on the road of a game in the fourth quarter of a game you were trying to win. You see ridiculous, unheard-of catches. He did that twice in that Ole Miss game. He had one that people don't talk about enough against Arkansas. He skied up over the entire sideline there.
- Stewart has spatial awareness. He finds the football before the defensive back. He can come off the ball and get off press coverage. The route running and how he is in and out of his breaks and the work that he has put into it is incredible.
- He missed games against Miami and UMass. He could have done damage against that Minutemen secondary. He didn't get to play in a bowl game. He dropped too many passes early in the year. Some of them were not perfect throws, but he dropped some passes that were on the money too. He fixed that. He has terrific hands. He got better and better.
- He went from the big five-star to becoming one of the better receivers in the SEC last year. As a sophomore, he could be a First Team All-SEC pick if this offense and passing game go the way we think they will.
- He was a true freshman last year playing with three different quarterbacks, and one was a true freshman in Conner Weigman. One was in his first year at A&M in Max Johnson, and the third had played two football games before he started the season in Haynes King. That's a lot of inexperience. Stewart was learning as he went. To put up the numbers he did and make the plays he did, this is a dude who has a chance to be really special this season.
- If I am an opposing defense, the guy that would scare me most would be Stewart. Because of Ainias Smith, Moose Muhammad and soon they will learn about Noah Thomas and Jahdae Walker on the outside, they will not be able to double-team everyone. It won't be to the level of Alabama with Henry Ruggs, DeVonta Smith, Jaylen Waddle and Jerry Jeudy. LSU had Justin Jefferson and Ja’Marr Chase. Do I think Stewart can be as good as any of the guys I mentioned? Yeah, I do.
- I don't think he'll win a Heisman like DeVonta Smith because you don't see that often. He has the talent to be a top-10 pick in the NFL Draft. He has a long way to go to get there, but like that Alabama corps, I don't think teams will be able to really focus on him. If they try to negate his impact, fine. A&M has plenty of other ways and guys to get the ball to.
- Stewart will thrive this year. You better have somebody who can cover him and keep him from getting off the ball and into his route quickly. When Bobby Petrino said he's going to feed the studs, I don't think there is a stud bigger than #1.
- Stewart can beat any team's biggest playmaker. Even if he is covered, he can beat you. I think he can be a first-team All-SEC receiver this year, but the one thing we have to see him do is be consistent. You have to make several catches a week. You have to get up in the six to eight touchdown minimum. Be an every-week playmaker.
