Ohio State has landed its first safety of the 2025 class.
New Ohio State safeties coach Matt Guerrieri secured his first commitment for the Buckeyes on Sunday when four-star New Jersey safety DeShawn Stewart gave his verbal to the program.
“Playing in front of all their fans,” Stewart told Eleven Warriors in January when asked what stands out about Ohio State. “Coach Ryan Day showed me they have the best fanbase in college football. The second college next to them is like (five million fans) behind. So that’s pretty crazy to play in front of all those people. And the brotherhood that they share.”
The Stewart File
- Class: 2025
- Size: 6-2/185
- Pos: Safety
- School: DePaul Catholic (Wayne, New Jersey)
- Composite Rating: ★★★★
- Composite Rank: #284 (#24 S)
Stewart is the high school teammate of four-star New Jersey wide receiver De'zie Jones, who committed to the Buckeyes on Saturday. He's also the fourth commitment Ohio State has landed since Friday, joining Jones, London Merritt and Tarvos Alford.
The 6-foot-2, 185-pound prospect picked up an offer from Tim Walton and Ryan Day on Jan. 19, and his recruitment ended in relatively short order.
“It means everything to me,” Stewart told Eleven Warriors of his offer. “Watching them growing up, you see all the great players come out of there. The offer means a whole lot. They said they see potential in me and think I’m a hell of a player. They see my lift and my speed, and they learned how smart I was throughout the game. They said they loved that about me.”
Walton and Guerrieri both steadily recruited the talented safety prospect to Columbus, and Stewart and Guerrieri have developed a close relationship in the past few months.
“He’s a pretty good guy and I feel comfortable enough to talk with him about anything even though I’ve only known him for a little bit," Stewart said. "It’s great vibes all around.”
| Pos | Name | Rating | Rank | Size | School |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CB | DEVIN SANCHEZ | ★★★★★ | #5 NATL | #1 CB | 6-2 | 170 | North Shore (Houston, Texas) |
| CB | NA'EEM OFFORD | ★★★★★ | #6 NATL | #2 CB | 6-1 | 185 | Parker (Birmingham, Alabama) |
| QB | TAVIEN ST. CLAIR | ★★★★ | #48 NATL | #4 QB | 6-4 | 210 | Bellefontaine (Bellefontaine, Ohio) |
| OT | CARTER LOWE | ★★★★ | #55 NATL | #7 OT | 6-5 | 290 | Whitmer (Toledo, Ohio) |
| DE | ZAHIR MATHIS | ★★★★ | #57 NATL | #5 Edge | 6-6 | 225 | Imhotep Institute (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) |
| LB | TARVOS ALFORD | ★★★★ | #63 NATL | #8 LB | 6-2 | 210 | Vero Beach (Vero Beach, Florida) |
| CB | BLAKE WOODBY | ★★★★ | #72 NATL | #8 CB | 5-11 | 180 | St. Frances Academy (Baltimore, Maryland) |
| DE | LONDON MERRITT | ★★★★ | #101 NATL | #10 LB | 6-2 | 250 | IMG Academy (Bradenton, Florida) |
| S | DESHAWN STEWART | ★★★★ | #284 NATL | #24 S | 6-2 | 185 | DePaul Catholic (Wayne, New Jersey) |
| WR | DE'ZIE JONES | ★★★★ | #367 NATL | #49 WR | 6-0 | 180 | DePaul Catholic (Wayne, New Jersey) |
| LB | ELI LEE | ★★★ | #557 NATL | #63 LB | 6-3 | 215 | Archbishop Hoban (Akron, Ohio) |
| Prospect Rating Data: 247Sports Composite | |||||
With Stewart in the fold, Ohio State now has 11 total commitments for its 2025 class. Stewart is the first safety to pull the trigger, but he won't be the last. The top targets Guerrieri and Walton are after to pair with Stewart are Faheem Delane and Trey McNutt, as both are priority targets for the Buckeyes.
Stewart gives Ohio State a versatile safety for 2025 class
Per 247Sports' composite rankings, Stewart is considered the 284th-best prospect and the No. 24 safety in the 2025 class.
Last year, Stewart racked up 56 tackles, one tackle for loss, 19 pass deflections for DePaul Catholic. He took a lot of snaps at cornerback at the prep level, but will be primarily a safety in college. In his sophomore season, he recorded 26 tackles, six pass breakups and three interceptions.
At the collegiate level, Stewart is capable of playing multiple positions in Ohio State's defensive scheme, and he's willing to play wherever Jim Knowles needs him.
“I see myself playing anywhere in the back end (in college), cornerback, strong safety or nickel,” Stewart said. “But I’d definitely describe myself as a free safety. (My strongest attribute) is my eyes, discipline and knowing where receivers are lining up and how to get leverage. Also reading the quarterback and knowing where the ball is going to go. I’d say I have pretty good tackling skills, too.”
Stewart has great closing speed to shut down routes and often displays great awareness in coverage. His size is ideal for matching up with bigger receivers when necessary, and he has the frame to add more weight at the next level.
