Josaiah Stewart ready to be a 'fastball' in pass rush rotation
The Michigan Wolverines wanted to be more disruptive in the pass rush this season. With that in mind, Coastal Carolina transfer EDGE Josaiah Stewart was the man for the job and someone they made a priority.
Stewart has brought a perpetually running motor to the Michigan defense since he arrived this spring. And it has had an effect on both his edgemates and the interior guys.
“[He brings] hustle,” junior defensive tackle Rayshaun Benny said Tuesday night. “Every play he’s getting after it. He’s always by the ball and no matter if the play is dead or not, he’s by the ball. I like that about him. He’s a go-getter.”
Stewart’s first camp in a Michigan uniform is in the books, and now the task at hand is bringing his motor to game action. He is expected to be a prominent member of the pass rush rotation along with seniors Braiden McGregor and Jaylen Harrell and sophomore Derrick Moore.
Despite the competition, the group has welcomed him in with open arms.
“They welcomed me in so easily,” Stewart said Tuesday. “It was an easy transition and we get after it every day. I love competing with our own line. I love competing with the guys in our room. We get each other better every day. So it’s been great.”
Michigan has maintained that its EDGE rotation will remain fluid into the season and that the battles will not end when game week starts. They want results, namely pressures and sacks. The emphasis has helped create a healthy battle among teammates.
“It elevates me every single day,” Stewart said. “Competing with Jaylen, competing with Braiden, Derrick, [TJ Guy], [Kechaun Bennett], all those guys competing and we all get each other better. They see something I do, they try to recreate it. I see something Jaylen does well, I try to recreate it the best I can. So we all feed on each other well.
Stewart brings proven production to Michigan with 79 tackles, 25.5 tackles for a loss, 16.0 sacks, four forced fumbles and a pass defended during his two seasons at Coastal Carolina. He thinks that experience, in addition to his speed and bend, will pay off and differentiate him from his peers
“All those guys have different types of experiences, whether bigger games, more snaps or whatever,” Stewart said. “But I say experience and speed to the room, like a fastball and curveball.
“We have Jaylen and Braiden, bigger guys, longer guys. We throw a lot at those tackles. And you bring a guy like me in with speed, it’s a different ball game. So just having that switch up in our room is important for us.”
A few guys will wind up having the designation of being “starters,” but with how Michigan rotates, there will be plenty of snaps for everyone. Stewart understands that and is ready to make an impact.
“We’re all elite and we all know that we’re going to play,” Stewart said. “We’re all so good and deep at the edge position. It’s really like 1A, 1B, 2A, 2B. So we all are going to get adequate snaps. It really depends on how [defensive coordinator Jesse Minter] sees which guys in certain scenarios.”
