New Michigan football transfer edge rusher garnering high praise ahead of fall camp

This weekend, the Wolverines’ primary focus is on recruiting, with many of the nation’s top targets coming to Ann Arbor today for the program’s ‘BBQ at the Big House’ event. That said, on Tuesday, players will report to fall camp, and on Wednesday, camp is set to officially begin, bringing the Maize and Blue one step closer to the season opener on September 2nd. With a new season comes many new faces, including new Michigan football transfer edge rusher Josaiah Stewart, who has been turning heads so far in Ann Arbor.

New Michigan football transfer edge rusher earning high praise ahead of fall camp

According to Jim Harbaugh, who spoke with the media a few days ago in Indianapolis for Big Ten Media Day, the edge rusher position is up for grabs this year. Harbaugh says there are many faces that could earn a starting role and signaled that the battle for a starting spot will likely bleed into the first few games of Michigan’s 2023 schedule.

That said, new Michigan football transfer edge rusher Josaiah Stewart, a rising junior from Coastal Carolina, is garnering significant attention and lots of high praise from the coaching staff ahead of fall camp.

“But (Josaiah Stewart) is definitely someone that (excels), and he does it in a great way, a different way,” Jim Harbaugh said. “He’s got this lower pad level. He gets under everybody so fast — so fast and so quick. He can really rush the quarterback. He’s in a much better position than he was even in the spring in terms of knowing the system and knowing his role in the defense.”

Josaiah Stewart is hungry, wants to win a national title for Michigan

Earlier this spring, Stewart had a lot to say about why he chose to commit to Michigan football. Following the Wolverines’ spring game on April 1st, it was clear that the Maize and Blue had something special with Stewart — he is hungry and understands what the program is all about. Now, it’s time for him to go out and prove himself, helping Michigan football win a national title along the way.

“I’m coming in hungry, I always have a chip on my shoulder,” he said after the 2023 Michigan football spring game. “Either I am undersized, under-recruited, or whatever the case may be; I am always hungry, so nothing has changed (since being at Costal Carolina).

“I belong here,” he said when asked about what he intends to prove during his time in Ann Arbor. “Everybody is doubting, everybody is questioning, you know, ‘How can he play in the Big Ten?’ Well, I’m going to show you guys, that’s all there is to it.

“You can tell (Michigan football) is a winning environment,” Stewart continued. “You can tell how seriously they take winning here, and we all know what the goal is — it’s not just the Big Ten Championship, it’s a national championship. And you can feel that as soon as you walk in the building.”

Thank you for reading Blue by Ninety. For more Michigan Athletics and Big Ten content from Blue by Ninety, follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. You can also subscribe to our YouTube Channel. For feedback, questions, concerns, or to apply for a writing position, please email our Publisher at [email protected]. Also, be sure to check out our shop and our podcast, which is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and all other streaming platforms. It is because of your support that we have become one of the fastest-growing and most influential Michigan media outlets there is!