Want to attack every day with the latest Georgia football recruiting info? That’s the Intel. This entry is about the latest with 5-star DL Shemar Stewart after a very impressive showing at the Under Armour All-American Game week down in Orlando.
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LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- Shemar Stewart posted on his social media on the first day of the early signing period about some late interest from Jackson State and Deion Sanders.
He would later clarify that to be just a joke. The Tigers weren’t about to add two of the nation’s top 10 recruits in the 2022 cycle. Collins Hill phenom Travis Hunter and Stewart would instantly upgrade the JSU defense. They would amplify a lot of SEC defenses, too.
But the Tigers aren’t in for Stewart. Stewart is set to make his college decision known on Feb. 2 on National Signing Day. He has three remaining official visits, but at this time only plays to use two of those this month.
He said over the last week at the Under Armour All-American Game Week that he was essentially down to just three schools: Miami. Georgia. Texas A&M.
Stewart joins All-American 4-star DT Christen Miller and 4-star OT Earnest Greene III as the biggest names to watch in January for the Bulldogs. Miller has yet to make his final decision and has several officials left to take in January.
Greene did sign during the early period but will go the traditional route of waiting until the All-American Bowl telecast on Jan. 8 to reveal that choice before enrolling early in January. His finalists were Alabama, Georgia, Ohio State and Texas.
Stewart is the last remaining 5-star the Bulldogs are chasing for this highly-impressive defensive class. Georgia has already signed five prospects with the elite 5-star ranking plus two more standouts for that side of the ball that all rank among the nation’s top 50 overall recruits.
The Bulldogs are going to get a late official visit, but it will not be his last before his signing day decision.
“I’m going to Georgia the second-to-last weekend of January,” he said.
What does he need to see from that one?
“Ah nothing really,” he said. “I’ve already been there a couple of times so I basically saw everything I need to see. I’m just going there to like clear up some things.”
He will take two officials in January. The Hurricanes will be get the other one of those.
What is the biggest thing he is looking into about a potential match with the Bulldogs?
“Georgia knows how to develop their players and get them into the league after college football,” he said.
Stewart looked very good at times during the Under Armour week. He exploded with some good early reps on the first day of workouts and then left the field with an apparent injury.
He was back the next day flashing a variety of skills. It clearly appeared that he was taking every rep seriously and was working to show he was the best player on the field that day. Perhaps the most eye-catching was his ability to turn speed into power coming off the edge.
Georgia junior DE Travon Walker is set to make himself some first-round money in the NFL next season. That’s how well he has played in 2021. He’s draft-eligible and Stewart looks like the most plug-and-play replacement for him in this class.
That’s what the 6-foot-5, 270-pound Stewart has been hearing for a while from the Bulldogs. He could play at a true defensive end spot but also flash well staying out on the edge. That’s a similar scouting report to what was there for Walker when he signed with UGA as a 5-star prospect in 2019.
Stewart ranks as the nation’s No. 3 DL prospect and the No. 9 overall recruit for 2022 on the 247Sports Composite ratings. Walker was rated highly back in his day, but he was not one of the nation’s top 10 overall recruits.
Defensive coordinator Dan Lanning was once a constant in Stewart’s ear for Georgia, but that has changed up over the last four weeks with him taking over the head coaching position at Oregon.
Defensive line coach Tray Scott has taken over the primary role for Stewart’s recruitment for the Bulldogs. What has been the message there?
“We need you,” Stewart said when asked what he’s hearing from Scott.
He visited Georgia for the Arkansas game back on October 2. It has been a good minute since that trip, but he hasn’t forgotten it. What still sticks out?
“I would say the game atmosphere,” he said. “The game atmosphere is really fun. It is crazy on game day.”
He pointed out a couple of core criteria. That’s what his decision will come down to.
“I personally feel like I can’t go wrong with either of my decisions,” Stewart said. “But I think I will pick that school that I feel, like deep in myself, that they will better develop me for the NFL and give me a better life after football.”
The crystal balls are all pointed universally to Texas A&M at this time. But the feeling in Orlando last week was that was not a true gauge.
Miami has heated up of late like the sun high above Key West. The South Florida native has been hearing that “stay home” pitch a lot from new Miami head coach Mario Cristobal.
“They want to bring everything back to greatness,” Stewart said. “Back to the great days of Miami.”
Stewart also had some pointed comments about the feeling with A&M.
“It is all family love over at A&M,” he said. “They are building something really special over there.”
The Aggies can boast 16 players that had either signed or committed to their 2022 class from the Under Armour All-American Game. Stewart is a key remaining target. Texas A&M also has four more future members of its program at the All-American Bowl out in Texas this week.
That’s why Jimbo Fisher’s program ranks ahead of both Alabama and Georgia for the nation’s top class on the 247Sports Composite team rankings for this cycle.
