JHS alum Jashaud Stewart projected to start at defensive end in Arkansas season opener

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (KAIT) - A Jonesboro native will take the field Saturday in the Razorback season opener.

Jashaud Stewart is projected to start at defensive end as #19 Arkansas faces #23 Cincinnati. The Hogs revealed their updated depth chart Monday morning. Stewart played in all 13 games last season on defense and special teams. He recorded 7 tackles.

Stewart met the media after practice on August 24th. “I changed a lot by just getting a little bit bigger,” Stewart said, “After last season, my sophomore season, I was like 235 (pounds). I bumped up to 250. So gaining weight. And Coach Adams coming in and teaching new techniques. And it just made me a whole better player.”

Stewart is getting rave reviews from Razorback players and coaches for his high motor. “I feel like if I don’t go 100 percent, I feel like I’m letting my teammates down,” Stewart added. “Or if I don’t go full speed and everything, I feel like I won’t be satisfied when I come off the field. Just trying to do my job, it just helps me a lot. Just learning from my other teammates, and they believing in me really help me with this transition of running with the 1′s.”

Arkansas defensive line coach Deke Adams has seen plenty of growth from #58 in the trenches.

“You know, we started out in the spring, and he was very raw,” Adams said. “But one thing you couldn’t deny about him: He played very hard, he ran to the football. Did a lot of great things in that aspect. But then as he started to learn the system, learn what we were doing, and be better fundamentally, then he started to become this dude that I didn’t think he was going to be right away. Right now, he’s playing hard, he’s being physical. He’s playing with a great pad level, he’s running to the ball, he understands the system. And he’s doing a lot of great things for us right now.”

#19 Arkansas hosts #23 Cincinnati on Saturday. Kickoff is at 2:30pm on ESPN.

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