The memory of the 2022 recruiting class for Texas A&M football fans is getting more and more sour as the years continue on. What had originally seemed like a crowning achievement for an era that was about to kick into high gear now looks in retrospect like the worst thing that could have happened to Jimbo Fisher and his staff.
Most contributors from that year are no longer in College Station, with the most notable remnants being Le'Veon Moss and Bryce Anderson. Shemar Stewart was the only highly-ranked guy to finish in Aggieland thus far; Moss, Anderson, Jared Kerr, Jadon Scarlett, Mark Nabou, and Theo Ohrstrom have the chance to join him in that feat as well.
One of the most notable among the many departures from that class was receiver Evan Stewart. Though he saw the field a lot for the Aggies, he was more flash than substance in retrospect; more tantalizing potential than actual production. His numbers in Aggieland were fine, but he sought a new destination after sitting out the final few games of his sophomore year.
He found it in Eugene, Oregon, where he joined Dan Lanning's Ducks in their pursuit of a national title. He again saw the field a decent amount and was a contributor to an Oregon team that was undefeated right up until they weren't, losing their first playoff game decisively to Ohio State.
Once more, though, his numbers look sort of pedestrian. He was 3rd on the team with 613 total yards on 3.7 receptions per game and 5 touchdowns for the season. That's really not very different from the numbers he put up in Jimbo's "archaic and outdated" offensive system.
With numbers like that, it makes sense that Stewart might try for another year. The way in which he announced his return, though, has led to Texas A&M football fans rolling their eyes a little bit.
Holy cornball pic.twitter.com/C1zUrzvKKb
— 𝓓𝓑𝓸𝓸𝓴 (@agxero10) January 9, 2025
If you can't see the tweet, Stewart is appropriating Michael Jordan's famous "I'm back." press release from when he returned from retirement to lead the Bulls to a second-straight threepeat.
Is it egotistical for the third-leading receiver on a pretty good college football team to compare himself to the greatest basketball player of all time? Sure. Is it unforeseen? Not really.
That's not a comment on Evan in particular— it's not out of the ordinary for wide receivers to conduct themselves with a bit of bravado, if you haven't noticed. But in the context of his career, one in which he hasn't really yet lived up to the high expectations placed upon him coming out of high school, it's a little rich to invite such a comparison.
I have no doubt that Evan will have a nice year again next season, get drafted, and have a decent career in the NFL. He'll catch his first touchdown in the league and make some social media post about how he's always been doubted, the whole nine yards. I'm not saying he doesn't have the skill to do that. But Michael Jordan he is not.