A New No.1?: Texas A&M's Evan Stewart Looks Part Of Top Target
COLLEGE STATION -- Texas A&M's Jimbo Fisher wanted to watch his quarterbacks air out the ball Saturday at the Maroon and White game. Those play designs weren't a mistake or just for show in front of fans.
That's going to be a part of the Aggies' offensive plan in 2022. At least in theory, it is.
“We wanted to create big plays downfield and we also didn’t want to create a lot of piles," Fisher said postgame Saturday afternoon. “In spring games there’s no sense in creating a bunch of piles — when you create piles that’s how everybody gets hurt.”
If the Aggies are going to be more explosive down the field, it will be in large part due to the emergence of freshman receiver Evan Stewart. Three months since arriving from high school, Stewart already carries a big stick in the eyes of Fisher.
There's a reason for it. He continuously won Saturday while working with all three quarterbacks. At every level of the field, Stewart made plays. Short passes, slant routes, the vertical attack, name it.
The new No. 1 on offense very well looks like a top receiver entering summer.
“Every day in the offseason program he was out front leading everybody running and doing things, and he’s been very productive in all the practices and scrimmages,” Fisher said of Stewart. “He has a long way to go … but his consistency day in and day out was very pleasing.”
Stewart finished Saturday as the top receiver for either team, recording seven catches for 75 yards. His biggest play of the afternoon came in the second quarter when sophomore Haynes King connected with the Liberty Frisco alum on a 32-yard gain, placing the White's offense inside the 10-yard line.
It was the longest play of scrimmage on the afternoon. Stewart also was named the offense's most valuable player of spring drills.
"He always been a hard-working type of guy," receiver Ainias Smith said. "He's never going to back down from a challenge. For him to be able to play the way he has, he definitely has raised the expectations of the things that are going to be needed from him."
Smith knows a thing or two about being a team's leading receiver. Over the past two years, the do-it-all offensive weapon has finished either first or second in receiving yards and receptions, going back and forth with tight end Jalen Wydermyer.
Quarterback play has hampered the production of Smith, who also is expected to see carries as a running back entering the new campaign. The Aggies have not had a 1,000-yard receiver since Josh Reynolds in 2016.
Depending on who takes over as QB1, Stewart could be in line to break the streak.
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