Shemar Stewart has a top five and that’s definitely big news because the Opa Locka (Fla.) Monsignor Pace four-star standout is one of the best defensive ends in the 2022 class.
Ranked fourth at his position nationally, Stewart has Clemson, Georgia, Miami, Ohio State and Texas A&M as his finalists and in recent weeks there has been some discussion about which teams are even highest among that small group.
Texas A&M is definitely there after a summer visit as the Aggies clearly have momentum in Stewart’s recruitment. Ohio State has been a team that has remained high in the four-star’s thinking as position coach Larry Johnson wields significant influence there.
After that, the picture is a little less clear. Some have said Miami is right in the thick of things, others think Georgia has surged and could be a bigger contender. Clemson is probably on the outside looking in – at least for now.
Stewart does not give away too many hints when discussing his recruitment but visits are going to be important and which team could develop him will be crucial as well along with relationships.
In today’s Making the Case, experts from around the Rivals network make an argument for a particular school and then National Recruiting Director Adam Gorney issues his verdict as to where he sees Stewart ending up.
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CLEMSON
Clemson probably has the lowest odds of any member in his top five right now. What the Tigers have left to hang their hat on is Stewart isn't making his decision right now; he'll take official visits and pull the trigger thereafter. Circumstances and perspective can change over the course of the season as game results reshape the picture around various schools.
Ohio State probably isn't going anywhere, while Miami factors by proximity and Texas A&M relationships. So the Tigers still face an uphill battle. But their chances have always hinged on doing enough to score an official visit late in the fall, and perhaps their combination of relationships and sustained national stature amid another playoff run gathers momentum with Stewart in their favor. - Paul Strelow, TigerIllustrated.com
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GEORGIA
Shemar Stewart’s camp has heralded Georgia as the benchmark for his visits this summer. Stewart still has official visits out in front of him this fall. Georgia has been angling to be Stewart’s last visit, period. That would be significant for Georgia heading into signing day.
Dan Lanning and the Bulldogs are right in the thick of things and Miami no longer seems to have a stranglehold. Georgia and Texas A&M both impressed Stewart on his visits and the Ohio State staff is working hard to bolster their chances as well. This recruitment is going all the way to the wire, but Georgia’s immediate need of edge defenders should work in their favor here. Stewart is Georgia’s top priority on the edge. - Blayne Gilmer, UGASports.com
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MIAMI
Miami had a lot of momentum with Shemar Stewart in June but that has seemed to dissipate as Stewart traveled around and visited other schools, particularly Ohio State and Texas A&M. Now it seems like the Hurricanes don’t have very much momentum there at all. Right now it appears Stewart is headed out of town to go to college. - Gary Ferman, CaneSport.com
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OHIO STATE
Stewart has plenty of major programs chasing his commitment but Ohio State seems to have set itself apart thanks to defensive line coach Larry Johnson. Stewart worked out with Johnson while in Columbus back in June and that left a lasting impression. The Buckeyes will need to fight off Miami and Texas A&M but they're possibly the team to beat at this point. - Adam Friedman, National Recruiting Analyst
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TEXAS A&M
Stewart had A&M on the radar before he visited at the end of July, but like many others, he’s now a lot more interested. The idea of playing for DE coach Terry Price is appealing, and he’s getting a lot of love from A&M commits, who are telling him they can win a national title together. If you’re making a choice purely on momentum, then A&M is the choice you’d probably make. - Mark Passwaters, AggieYell.com
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THE VERDICT
Making a pick right now seems premature but I’ll take a shot and say he ends up at Texas A&M if I have to make a selection at this point. The summer visit was huge, the success of developing defensive linemen in College Station is definitely leaving an impression and he likes the coaching staff there for sure.
The longer this goes I definitely think Georgia has a real shot and I’m not counting out Ohio State because the Buckeyes have made him a priority. I want to make it clear that I think this could change a lot through the fall and closer to signing day but right now it feels like a three-team battle among Texas A&M, Ohio State and Georgia. Miami and Clemson are certainly still in it but Texas A&M is my choice for the four-star defensive end right now. - Adam Gorney, National Recruiting Director
