The Panthers picked the second running back in the draft. Stewart, a 5’11 234lbs back out of Oregon has great size and speed. He also obtains good power to run over defenders at times. One reason Stewart was picked over the highly coveted Rashard Mendenhall was his ability to catch passes. Look for Stewart to be another passing option for Carolina.

At Oregon, in 36 games, Jonathan started 25 of them. He attempted 516 rushes, for a total of over 2,800 yards, recording 27 touchdowns and only losing three fumbles in his career. He also caught 49 passes for a total of 334 yards, and also played some defense, recording 4 tackles. As a kickoff return guy, Stewart picked up over 1,600 yards on 58 returns, along with two touchdowns. For his career, Stewart compiled a total of 4,889 yards.

At Timberline High School in Fort Lewis, Washington Stewart was rated among the top running backs by parade Magazine. He was named one of the five finalist for the Walter Payton Trophy, which names the nations top prep player. He was named the Class 3A Offensive player of the year in the state of Washington, and also part of USA Today’s 2004 team. During his senior year, he rushed for over 2,000 yards and recorded 32 touchdowns. He was also a punt return man, returning punts for a total of 91 yards.

Stewart has had some injury concerns in the past that he hopes to put behind him. With his speed and ability to maneuver anywhere on the field, look for Stewart to be a first option running back early in his career.