The Weight of a Legacy

by Delgreco Wilson

COLLEGE PARK, MD – Sidney Stewart was supposed to be a basketball star. It’s in his genes. The Baltimore native is an heir to one of Philadelphia’s great basketball legacies, a family tradition that reads like a history of the game itself. His father, Stephen “Mookie” Stewart, stands ninth in Coppin State history in scoring and rebounding, a MEAC Player of the Year in 1994 and 1995, and now an assistant coach with the Coppin men’s basketball program. Sidney’s uncles, Larry and Lynard Stewart, extended the family’s basketball dominance—Larry became one of only two Coppin State Eagles to play in the NBA, while Lynard starred under John Chaney at Temple before a professional career in Europe.

Yet on Saturday, under the blazing Maryland sun, Sidney Stewart didn’t step onto a hardwood court but rather onto the gridiron of SECU Stadium, where the 6-foot-2, 255-pound freshman defensive lineman delivered a spectacular debut for the University of Maryland Terrapins that announced his arrival as football’s newest sensation.

A Different Path

How does a young man surrounded by basketball royalty find his way to football stardom? For Sidney Stewart, the pull of the gridiron proved irresistible almost as soon as he could walk. While his family legacy pointed toward basketball, Stewart discovered his own passion—one that would eventually lead him to become a preseason freshman All-American selection and one of the most anticipated young talents in Big Ten football.

Stewart’s high school career at Concordia Prep in Towson nearly never was. His time there began in 2020, when COVID-19 forced the cancellation of the season. He reclassified after his freshman year hoping to play four years of football, but ultimately was unable to salvage a season of eligibility for 2024. The disappointment of being allowed to practice but not play during that period forged a resilience that would define his character.

“He was allowed to practice but not play, and that was hard for him to do just because he wanted to be out there so badly with his teammates,” recalled Joe Battaglia, Stewart’s high school coach at Concordia Prep. “I just told him he was going to be so much better for that, and that he was going to have a little different hunger than maybe some other guys that were around him coming in because he understands what it’s like to have football taken from him”.

Character Beyond the Field

If Stewart’s athletic prowess has turned heads, his character has won hearts. In May of this year, after securing Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) earnings as a college athlete, Stewart made a decision that stunned his former coaches: he donated $4,000 to Concordia Prep’s athletic department—a tangible expression of gratitude to the institution that shaped him.

“What inspired me to do that was the appreciation I have for my school and secondly, I want them to grow because their growth helps my growth,” Stewart explained. “Coming from that school, the better they look the better I look. I just want every area and every aspect of my life that I was a part of to thrive.”

His high school coach remained amazed at the gesture: “Just an incredible thing for a kid who wasn’t supposed to be graduating from high school yet. He enrolled early in Maryland, had made a little bit of money and wanted to give back to the place that kind of built him and give back to his team. I think he appreciates the people along the way.”

This act of generosity wasn’t an isolated moment but part of a pattern of service that defines Stewart’s character. He is “no stranger to acts of service, such as helping out at youth camps or working with young kids any time they are around Concordia Prep,” his old stomping grounds in Towson.

The Family Competitive Fire

Though Stewart chose football over basketball, the competitive fire that burned in his father and uncles clearly ignites his own ambitions. He enters college with a declaration that he wants to be a freshman All-American—a goal directly inspired by his father’s accomplishments on the basketball court.

“My dad played basketball. He’s pretty good. He played basketball overseas and he was an All-American in college,” Stewart said. “One thing he would always tell me growing up whenever [there] was something to do or any specific task he would always boast, ‘It’s only one All-American in this family.’ I can’t be an All-American at 7 years old, but now I have the opportunity to do that.”

Table: The Stewart Family Athletic Legacy

Family Member	Sport	Accomplishments
Stephen “Mookie” Stewart (Father)	Basketball	Coppin State Hall of Fame, MEAC Player of the Year (1994, 1995), 9th in Coppin history in scoring/rebounding
Larry Stewart (Uncle)	Basketball	NBA player (5 seasons), 2x MEAC Player of the Year, Coppin State’s first MEAC Championship
Lynard Stewart (Uncle)	Basketball	Temple University star, Philadelphia Daily News Player of the Year, professional career in Europe
Sidney Stewart	Football	Maryland Football freshman, preseason All-American selection, NIL philanthropist

A Debut to Remember

After nearly two years without playing in a real football game, Stewart’s debut for the Terrapins was nothing short of spectacular. Playing multiple positions across the defensive front—right defensive end, left defensive end, occasionally dropping into linebacker coverage—Stewart demonstrated the versatility that makes him such a promising prospect in defensive coordinator Brian Williams’ scheme.

His stat line told the story of a player who had waited patiently for his moment: 5 tackles (4 solo), 1 sack for a safety, and 3 tackles for loss. The sack that resulted in a safety particularly electrified the Maryland crowd, offering a glimpse of the game-changing potential that has coaches and teammates so excited.

Stewart’s physical attributes—documented in his EA SPORTS™ College Football 26 rating as a 64 overall—include impressive acceleration (81), strength (76), and hit power (83) that belie his freshman status. These measurable qualities, combined with his evident motor and football IQ, suggest a player poised for rapid development.

The Maryland Football Future

Stewart represents a crucial piece of Maryland head football coach Michael Locksley’s ambitious plan to “stack back-to-back high-end recruiting classes in 2025 and 2026.” At Big Ten Media Days in July, Locksley boldly declared: “We’ve embarked on recruiting the best two high school classes that we’ve seen in the history of Maryland football. Half of those guys that we signed [for 2025] were able to enroll early and participate in our winter and spring programs, which gives us an opportunity to see those guys as early as possible.”

Stewart’s journey to Maryland was motivated by more than just athletic opportunity—it was driven by a desire to represent his home state. “Growing up here I just kind of felt disrespected,” Stewart explained. “I feel like we had so many guys… I think often they would go to other schools, and they would do well then you would just forget that they’re from Maryland. We never really got the love that I thought we deserved as a football state. Me and a bunch of other guys my age were like, ‘We need to put our foot down and go ball for our home school,’ so I think that’s probably one of the biggest reasons I chose to come here.”

Table: Sidney Stewart’s EA Sports College Football 26 Ratings Highlights

Attribute	Rating	Attribute	Rating
Overall	64	Acceleration	81
Speed	76	Strength	76
Tackle	79	Power Moves	77
Pursuit	82	Hit Power	83
Awareness	65	Agility	75

More Than Athletics

What makes Stewart’s story particularly compelling in the NIL era of college athletics is his understanding that his platform extends beyond the football field. His decision to donate a portion of his earnings to his high school reflects a maturity that transcends his 19 years—a recognition that athletic success carries with it the responsibility to uplift others.

This perspective seems deeply ingrained in Stewart’s approach to his sport and his life. “I enjoyed my time there, so the people that helped me [become] who I am I wanted to help in some sort of way,” he said of his Concordia Prep experience.

Stewart’s high school coach believes this character will translate to success at the collegiate level: “I think he brings unbelievable effort. He’s super explosive. Nobody works harder at their craft than Sid does. He’s in a different system in a slightly different position than he’s been in before, but he’s going to work so hard at that and be successful.”

Forging His Own Legacy

As Sidney Stewart continues his freshman season at Maryland, he carries with him both the weight of family expectation and the freedom of having chosen his own path. The basketball legacy that might have defined another man became merely the foundation upon which Stewart is building his football identity—an identity marked by gratitude, resilience, and an unwavering work ethic.

In an era when college athletes face unprecedented scrutiny and opportunity, Stewart represents the best of what the new system can produce—a young man aware of his value but equally conscious of his responsibility to others. His journey from COVID-canceled seasons to college stardom, his decision to give back before he’s truly taken, and his determination to put Maryland football on the map all tell the story of an athlete who understands that legacy is about more than statistics or awards.

The Stewart family tradition of athletic excellence continues, but through Sidney, it has evolved into something new—a football story born from basketball royalty, a Maryland story with Philadelphia roots, and a personal story of gratitude that promises to inspire the next generation of athletes who must choose between following in footsteps or carving their own path.

As the season continues, Sidney Stewart will undoubtedly face challenges—the relentless grind of Big Ten competition, the academic demands of college life, and the pressure of living up to expectations. But if his debut and his journey thus far are any indication, he possesses not just the physical tools but the character necessary to meet those challenges head-on, creating a legacy that honors his family’s past while firmly establishing his own future.