Trevon Stewart, S Houston: 2016 NFL Scouting Report
By Brady Lunt
The “small” label can be difficult to overcome, especially when we see so many big prospects who have ultra-athleticism and are succeeding in the NFL. However, the rise of prospects of like Drew Brees and Russell Wilson on offense and Tyrann Mathieu on defense have really helped those in the pre-draft stages who are being called “small” shed the label and show they can belong in the league. One such prospect is Houston safety Trevon Stewart. Can he mirror Tyrann Mathieu and intrigue scouts enough for teams to take a chance on him?
Measurables
Height: 5’10”
Weight: 195 lbs
Class: Senior
Strengths
Trevon Stewart was one of the most productive players in all of college football, especially when you consider the range of things he did on the Houston defense. He finished 2015 with 76 tackles (10.5 were for loss), six sacks, four interceptions (11 over the last three years), and four fumble recoveries to go along with one forced fumble of his own. Plays fast and with a very high motor, never stops moving around. Is a tenacious defender who is an aggressive and willing tackler. Does a nice job reading the quarterback’s eyes and consistently finds ways to jump routes. Is very capable in run-support, always finding a way through the blocking wall to make a play. As evidenced by his six sacks, does an excellent job blitzing from the slot.
Below is a highlight video of Trevon Stewart vs. Louisville. He had a tremendous game, totaling six tackles, one sack, and an interception. His aggressiveness is shown throughout the video. His sack starts at 0:27, where he does a nice job timing the snap, speeding passed the offensive tackle, and speeding straight towards the quarterback.
Weaknesses
As mentioned before, Stewart will have to shed the “small” label if he hopes to make it on to an NFL roster. Many will view him as too short to play safety and lacking the necessary slot-coverage ability. He will get overpowered by bigger, physical receivers which seems to be the trending direction for the NFL. Plays close to the line of scrimmage, however may find himself struggling in that position at the NFL level.
Final Thoughts
Trevon Stewart has the potential to be an impact player, especially considering how Tyrann Mathieu has blossomed in the league while being 1-inch shorter and 20 pounds lighter. While Stewart doesn’t possess Mathieu’s natural coverage ability, if he can find the right scheme, he could experience a similar explosion as he adapts to the speed of the NFL. Stewart is definitely a prospect who is flying under the radar and one that will probably have to start making a living on special teams. If he can convince scouts and coaches to overlook his size, you may see him starting rising up the depth chart on the NFL franchise willing to take a chance on him.
Round Projection: 4th – 5th Round