Michigan DL Josaiah Stewart announces decision to return to Wolverines for 2024 season
Michigan defensive lineman Josaiah Stewart is officially returning to Ann Arbor for at least one more season with the Wolverines, as he announced early Monday morning his intention to come back to school for 2024.
Stewart originally began his college football career at Coastal Carolina, where he put together an extraordinary true freshman year and followed it up with a solid second season as well. As a rookie in 2021, he racked up 43 total tackles and 13 sacks, good for fourth in the county that season.
In 2022, the sack total dipped to just 3.5 but Stewart still put together a solid season all around, and when he hopped in the transfer portal, Michigan came calling and he accepted the offer to link up with the 2023 title-winner. During his first season as a Wolverine, Stewart made 38 tackles and finished with 5.5 sacks, the second-highest mark on the team. There’s no doubt his return is massive.
Prior to his time at Michigan or Coastal Carolina, Stewart hailed from Everett High School in Massachusetts, where he was a three-star prospect in the 2021 class, per the On3 Industry Ranking. He was also rated the No. 939 overall player and No. 4 recruit out of his state for that cycle.
Here was his Twitter post containing the news:
More on the 2024 NFL Draft
The 2024 NFL Draft will be held in Detroit, Michigan, with the first round on Thursday, April 25, the second and third rounds on Friday, April 26, and the fourth through seventh rounds on Saturday, April 27.
Players will have the opportunity to solidify their draft stock at the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine, to be held in Indianapolis, Indiana from February 26 through March 4.
The three-day event will be broadcasted throughout the weekend on ESPN and NFL Network.
To be eligible for the NFL Draft, players must be at least three years removed from their final year of high school while having used up their collegiate eligibility. Underclassmen are able to request league approval to become eligible for the draft, as are players who have graduated prior to using up all of their collegiate eligibility.
Last season, 69 players were granted special eligibility for the 2023 NFL Draft. 13 underclassmen who had completed their college degrees were also deemed eligible to be selected.
The deadline to declare for the 2024 NFL Draft is on January 15. NFL teams will receive a full list of eligible players in the class on January 19.