The Texas Longhorns have lost a huge commitment out of Frisco Liberty's Class of 2022 recruit Evan Stewart. The four star athlete took to Twitter on Thursday to announce his decision to de-commit from the Longhorns' program:
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— 𝓮𝓿𝓪𝓷 𝓼𝓽𝓮𝔀𝓪𝓻𝓽 (@0fficial_evan) March 11, 2021
This hit comes in light of the many athletes who have not been able to visit schools due to the, so far, nearly year-long dead period. The dead period was extended in an attempt to slow the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19).
"When I committed a month ago, I was for sure that [Texas] was the place that I wanted to be and fulfill my dream of playing college football on one of the biggest stages," wrote Stewart. "Being a top recruit in the nation is a blessing, but I'm not a regular recruit. I have been on no visits and haven't seen nor even met any colleges' coaches and will wait out until this dead period is over and lifted and we are able to see and visit campuses again."
Stewart previously announced his commitment in mid-February. According to a 247Sports Composite, the 6-foot athlete is ranked as the fifth-best receiver in the nation. Despite the fear of COVID-19 through his junior season, Stewart brought in 46 catches for a total of 913 yards and nine touchdowns.
Stewart plans to take his recruitment period slow from here. In the statement shared on Twitter, he writes that he would like the opportunity to explore all of his options thoroughly and "do it the right way."
Stewart currently has over 35 offers to include offers from programs like Baylor, Alabama, Auburn, Texas Tech, Tennessee, Oregon, and more.