Today's countdown to kickoff brings us to no. 24, freshman safety Darrien "Bleu" Stewart. Stewart was a highly recruited prospect out of Desert Pines HS in Vegas. The 6-foot-2 safety has the ideal frame for the position at 190 pounds and looks to immediately contribute in 2021.

Stewart has a nose for the football and is as solid of a tackler at the high school level as they come. He has speed as well, although not fully showcased on his film, as he was on his school's state champion 4x400 meter relay in 2018.

UteNation take

Stewart was one of two safety commits in the 2021 class with Cole Bishop, as well as grad transfer Brandon McKinney. The Utes have a good core of young safeties to work with and develop over the next few seasons with Stewart, Bishop, Kamo'i Latu and Ben Renfro. We know that Kyle Whittingham and co. are not shy about giving a freshman meaningful snaps if they are earned, so look for a good position battle in fall camp to iron out the depth chart.

The most ideal scenario for Stewart would see him getting reps on special teams with an eye towards breaking more into the safety rotation by the end of the year. However, he’s likely a year away from being a steady contributor.

Alex remembers Stewart’s recruitment

A three-star safety, Stewart chose the Utes from a final four which also included Oregon, Boise State, and UCLA, though he didn't have an official offer from the Ducks. He also held offers from Washington State, West Virginia, and a number of G5 schools.