Fleet-footed 4-Star RB Rickey Stewart Jr. commits to Texas

Amid a big visit weekend on April 6, Texas football landed a commitment in the 2025 class from Chapel Hill (TX) four-star running back Rickey Stewart Jr. Stewart committed to Texas while he and his mom are on campus in Austin for an unofficial visit this weekend.

Texas football lands commitment from 4-Star Chapel Hill RB Rickey Stewart Jr.

Stewart committed to the Longhorns over offers from the Oregon Ducks, Baylor Bears, Michigan Wolverines, SMU Mustangs, and Alabama Crimson Tide, among many other schools.

The 5-foot-10 and 180-pound blue-chip running back recruit from East Texas was previously committed to SMU. He backed off his pledge to the Mustangs in late January, following a successful unofficial visit to Texas for the first big Junior Day of the offseason on Jan. 20.

His decommitment from SMU also came roughly 10 days after Texas extended him a scholarship offer during his Junior Day visit on Jan. 20.

Stewart quickly bonded with head coach Steve Sarkisian and running backs coach Tashard Choice. He told Horns247 after receiving the Texas offer that the experience for the Junior Day visit was one like he hadn't "ever felt before" and that he was "happy when I got the offer" a few months ago.

Stewart is one of the quickest and most productive RBs in Texas in the 2025 class

Since the start of his sophomore season at Chapel Hill in 2022, Stewart has been one of the most productive running backs in the state. He's registered over 5,000 rushing yards and 58 rushing touchdowns, while averaging over 10 yards per carry, in the last two seasons combined for Chapel Hill High School.

Stewart has also shown some versatility in the last two years at Chapel Hill, registering nearly 400 receiving yards and six receiving touchdowns.

Through a combination of patient vision and tremendous quickness after the first cut, Stewart is a constant big play threat whenever he touches the ball. He's got the quickness and acceleration to get outside and beat opposing defenders coming off the EDGE or to the sideline.

Stewart also has the vision and quickness working in tight areas to hit the hole opening up between the tackles.

He possesses the versatility to threaten opposing defenses in multiple run schemes and as a receiver out of the backfield. Stewart has a good understanding of different offensive schemes and play calls since he's often motioned out of the backfield or runs the wildcat offense for Chapel Hill to take advantage of his quickness out in space.

Stewart's versatility is something that Sarkisian can utilize in a similar way to someone like Keilan Robinson regarding his ability to be motioned out of the backfield or to get the ball in quick passes in space. He can also utilize his vision and burst to gain yards in chunks in the zone ground game or finding daylight after the first cut on running plays.

Areas of improvement

While Stewart is a potent threat as a receiver out of the backfield in short passes out in space, he's not the most developed route runner for a running back. He needs to develop more proficiency and technicality as a route runner to truly threaten opposing defenses as a skill weapon in Sarkisian's offense.

There also isn't much proof on film out there of Stewart thriving in different schemes as a blocker. Assuming that most of the reps he takes on offense he is either targeted or has a heavy focus from the opposing defense, blocking is probably something Stewart needs to polish up at the next level.

Projection at Texas

It's been well documented that Stewart as one of the top priorities at running back for Choice and the Longhorns in the 2025 class early this offseason. Texas would also like to get another top running back committed in the 2025 class, with the top target being Santa Ana (CA) Mater Dei four-star Jordon Davison.

Davison also happens to be on campus along with Stewart (among many other blue-chip visiting recruits in the 2025 class) this weekend for unofficial visits to Texas amid spring practice.

Stewart projects as a multi-faceted impact player who can thrive in a specialized role on offense while also contributing early in his collegiate career on special teams.

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