Stewart days away from decision

A few days after returning home from his Stanford official visit, top 2016 Cardinal receiver target Donald Stewart hosted his area recruiter, Peter Hansen, for an in-home visit.

"I'd say it went well," Stewart said. "I've talked to Coach Hansen a few times, so we pretty much covered everything."

There was also plenty of opportunity for Stewart to talk to Hansen and the rest of the Cardinal coaches a few days earlier, when the Paramus Catholic High School star took his official visit to The Farm. The trip was his fourth to Stanford.

"I had a great weekend," Stewart said. "I was able to meet Mrs. Condoleeza Rice. I sat in a mechanical engineering class. I learned more about the virtual reality tour. I saw more of the campus, which was nice. I really had a great visit overall."

Stewart was able to dive more deeply into a potential college major on this visit.

"I think I took more interest in the mechanical engineering field," Stewart said. "Just the way they were working on cars and having cars drive themselves, basically, with just people sitting in the car and the car driving by itself was very interesting to me. Maybe I will look into that field more."

The visit also provided another opportunity for Stewart to strengthen his relationship with Stanford's coaching staff. He was able to sit down with Cardinal head coach David Shaw and his family one night over dinner.

"I had a dinner with Coach Shaw and my two parents," Stewart said. "We just talked about that I have to keep my grades up and he told me that if I came here I would have to work hard so I could be a big-time playmaker, and when I learn the plays and get bigger, faster and stronger I should have a great career if I should go there."

Stewart was one of 20 or so recruits on campus during the Cardinal's big recruiting weekend. One of Stewart's close friends was among the visitors.

"I spent the most time with my buddy ole pal, Clark Yarbrough," Stewart said. "That's my buddy, man."

Yarbrough and Stewart have known each other for quite some time, and have become close friends over the past year or so. Predictably, the Cardinal's four-star offensive line commit did his best to convince Stewart to join him in Stanford's 2016 class.

There are only a few more days until Yarbrough and Stanford will learn if their efforts are successful. Stewart is currently on his official visit to Michigan. He'll make his college decision in the days following that trip.

"I think right after my trip I should be able to decide," Stewart said. "I have finals next week so that's probably the only thing that will delay me a little bit, but I'm going to decide next week."

"I think I just have to talk to my parents a little bit more because I've seen both schools but this is going to be only my second time to Michigan. I really like the school - I really like both schools. I think after I see this school for a second time, and I've seen Stanford a couple of times too, I think it will be a clear decision right after this visit."

Indeed, after numerous trips to The Farm and multiple conversations with the Cardinal coaching staff (including another one with Shaw last night), Stewart feels like all of his questions about Stanford have been answered.

"I feel pretty comfortable (with Stanford)," Stewart said. "I actually just got off the phone with Coach Shaw (on Thursday night), too, so I feel pretty good."

"He just had a couple of general questions for me about my day and how I liked my visit and asked how my visit was with Coach Hansen. That's about it."