GoHeels Exclusive: Stewart Set To Make The Most Of His Return

Saturday, September 2

Chapel Hill

12:20 PM

North Carolina

California

M.J. Stewart is regarded as one of the top cornerback prospects for the 2018 NFL Draft.

Photo by: Jeffrey A. Camarati

September 1, 2017 | Football, Featured Writers

By: Pat James

By Pat James, GoHeels.com

As a consensus three-star recruit at Yorktown High School in Arlington, Virginia, Marvin Stewart Jr. felt constantly overlooked.

So when it came to crafting his Twitter handle as a junior in 2012, he sought one that reflected that sentiment and maybe, just maybe, helped him garner some of the attention he thought he deserved.

Multiple ideas crossed his mind. But he ultimately settled on one: @Checkout_Marv.

"I knew I was a good player," Stewart said, "so people needed to check me out."

Five years later, the spotlight rests on Stewart, commonly referred to as M.J., as he enters his senior season on the North Carolina football team as one of the premier cornerbacks in not only the Atlantic Coast Conference, but also in the country.

He's currently projected to be a first- or second-day selection in the 2018 NFL Draft – one year after he could have easily left UNC early and been picked in this past April's Draft.

But Stewart's never been one to take the simplest option.

Instilling a competitive mindset

Stewart started playing football when he was about 4 years old, and his father, Marvin Stewart Sr., coached him until he reached high school. Along the way, Stewart sustained his share of bumps and bruises.

Stewart Sr. always had Stewart play up an age division, hoping it would eventually make him more resilient.

"I would basically get my butt whipped by the older kids," Stewart said. "I wasn't used to it. But by the time I started playing at my own age, I'd start seeing I was more physical than them because I played with the older kids."

That toughness translated to Stewart's career at Yorktown.

As one of the most prolific running backs in the Washington, D.C., area, he rushed for 4,866 yards and scored 91 offensive touchdowns in three seasons at Yorktown. His exploits twice earned him first-team All-Met honors from The Washington Post.

But for as talented an offensive weapon he was, Stewart knew he wanted to be a college cornerback. Even if he never played the position in high school.

Yorktown primarily employed Stewart as a safety on defense, where he flashed his ball skills by hauling in 10 interceptions. However, away from his team, he participated in private workouts at cornerback.

Still, when it came to college camps and showcases, Stewart Sr. said coaches hardly knew what to expect when Stewart lined up at cornerback.

"I just told him," Stewart Sr. said, "'Look, just keep playing. People will see that you're tough, see how your hips are, see how your footwork is. We're behind because you don't play cornerback, so we just have to catch up.'

"I think that gave him the determination to prove himself to people even more, like, 'Hey, I've never played it, but this is what I've got, here's what I'm showing you.'"

And that was enough to earn a scholarship from UNC.

Stewart enrolled early in January 2014. He drew rave reviews from coaches in the spring and served as one of the few bright spots on the Tar Heels' defense as a freshman, despite seeing limited snaps.

Since he was child, Stewart said he dreamed of playing in the NFL. But after his freshman season, it started seeming like it was becoming an actual possibility.

"Once I saw the competition," he said, "I was like, 'You know, I'm good enough to hang with them.' Around sophomore year, I was like, 'I really can do this. I really think I can be an NFL corner.'"

A difficult decision

UNC's run to the 2015 Coastal Division title coincided with Stewart's move into a starting role. A second-team All-ACC selection, he tallied 62 tackles and four interceptions, with his 18 passes defended tying for the league lead.

At that point, Stewart said he intended to declare for the NFL Draft following his junior year. In fact, of the underclassmen on the Tar Heels' 2016 roster, he appeared to be the most likely candidate to turn pro entering the season.

But then came his first campaign without an interception – UNC only recorded one – and just an honorable-mention designation when the All-ACC teams were unveiled in November.

An 8-4 regular-season record certainly didn't help ease his frustrations. But the Tar Heels' 25-23 loss against Stanford in the Sun Bowl proved to be Stewart's breaking point. Just a day later, he announced via Twitter his decision to return for his senior season.

"I didn't like that bitter taste in my mouth after losing that bowl game, and also I didn't like how I contributed to our defense," Stewart said. "I felt like I didn't make enough plays. That's not my standard. Zero interceptions, that's not me.

"I'm a person who prides himself on getting around the ball, getting takeaways, making big plays all of the time. And I felt like I didn't do that last year."

So as Mitch Trubisky, Elijah Hood and Nazair Jones, among others, participated in the NFL Combine and UNC's pro day, Stewart watched from afar. He took notes and asked them questions, looking to further ready himself for when the time comes for his own auditions.

Those might not occur as soon as he once thought. But his decision to return has provided him with extra time to prepare and a chance to receive his degree this winter.

"It really came between a childhood dream and coming back to college and getting a degree," said Stewart about his decision. "That degree means so much to me, it means so much to my family. So I wanted to come back and get my degree, and I knew coming back would ultimately help me further my draft stock."

Leaving a legacy

Once overlooked, Stewart is regarded as one of the top prospects for the 2018 NFL Draft entering his senior season, which begins Saturday against California.

Todd McShay, an ESPN NFL Draft analyst, lists him as the No. 2 cornerback and No. 22 overall player in his preseason evaluation of the Draft's top players. Pro Football Focus also recently named Stewart to its preseason All-America first team.

Stewart said he occasionally hears about such news from friends and family members. But he's never grown content. In his mind, there are always opportunities for enhancement.

"He is by far the hardest-working guy on this football team," Larry Fedora said. "Day in and day out, I don't even have to look (at the GPS numbers) because I can tell you his are going to be the highest. And that's just the way he approaches every day.

"He's grown into a person who knows he has goals, and he's actually doing the things he needs to do to reach those goals. He's not just saying I want to do this and not doing anything about it. He's actually got a plan in place and he's actually working the plan."

Stewart said he spent the offseason improving his technique, eye control and football IQ. He knows his 29 career pass breakups rank third in program history, behind only Robert Williams (40) and Michael Waddell (36).

The chance to achieve such goals influenced his decision to return to Chapel Hill. But so did the opportunity to leave his lasting imprint on the program.

"I want to be one of the best cornerbacks to come through UNC," Stewart said. "I want to be remembered as one of them, and I just want people to remember me as a guy who puts it all on the line every Saturday and makes big plays."

So check out Marv. He'll only be here for so much longer.