Avon Lake High School wide receiver/defensive back Aidan Stewart picked up an offer from Kent State on October 4, as Kent State coaches Kenni Burns and Mark Carney were in and around Lorain County for week seven of the Ohio High School football season, as it corresponded with Kent State’s bye week. They were checking on verbal commits for the upcoming Class of 2025 that they’re bringing in, but also out recruiting for the class of 2026.
Stewart was all over the field though. Offensively, he caught 5 balls for 68 yards and two touchdowns. In the first quarter, Stewart took a speed out and raced 35 yards down the sideline for a touchdown. Later in overtime, Stewart was able to get inside on a slant for another score.
Impacting the game on special teams as well, Stewart picked up a blocked punt in the second quarter and ran for another touchdown, in addition to impacting the game as a cornerback as well.
Stewart at 6-1, 175 pounds, was born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and grew up a huge LSU and Joe Burrow fan. When he was eight his family moved to Australia. Stewart’s grandparents are Avon Lake residents. With the dream of playing college football in the U.S, Stewart moved to Avon Lake last year. As a sophomore he finished with 20 receptions for 135 yards.
“I’ve always liked and watched football,” Stewart told the Chronicle-Telegram in August. “But I really wanted to take it serious. When I started playing there, I started to develop a little bit more and got the idea to come back here and play for the high school team. Once I got here, that’s when it really started. Before it was just a ‘what if’, never really a possibility. But I got here, started working and I think it’s well within something that I can do.”
A fierce competitor, a dejected Stewart took the time to discuss his KSU offer with GFR after the game Friday, despite the tough loss.
“Getting that offer was great. That was great. That was kind of a turning point for me. It was kind of like, it switched everything on, the fact that…I can do it. It wasn’t an ‘if’ anymore, it was now I can so now I’m just working harder and harder.”
Stewart attended a KSU camp this past summer. “I’m looking to go down to campus soon.”