DEFINED: Sidney Stewart
The story of how an early passion turned into a generational talent.
9/6/2026
“From the first time he went out there, he was great,” Lashelle Stewart said.
The itch for a young Sidney Stewart just to get on the field gave way to a superstar talent, one that’s already making plays for the Terps in 2026.
“This boy knew what he wanted to do, as young as, I want to say, eight or nine years old,” his father Stephen Stewart said. “We used to take him to football practice when my oldest son was playing, and Sidney would be tugging on my arm the whole time, saying ‘Dad, put me out there’.”
Deemed the “Yung Bull” in his childhood, Stewart’s always had a wild side. His father’s Philadelphian accent can make “young boy” sound like “young bull”. He started calling Stewart “Yung Bull” early in his life. Little did he know he was raising one of the Big Ten’s premier pass rushers.
A reclassification snafu cost Stewart his senior year of high school. What felt like a setback at the time turned into an opportunity to begin preparing for his collegiate career. The second he took the field as a Terp, he was home.
“That first practice, I think I just had a fire under me,” Stewart recalls. “I was really making plays, I had the energy, I was winning my one-on-ones. That’s when the nerves went away. It kind of reminded me that I’m a football player.”
Once the season started, Stewart put the Big Ten on blast. A freshman campaign that included seven sacks, 20 tackles, and a forced fumble quickly established him as a premier pass rusher.
“We didn’t know what really to expect with him coming into college football, especially after the disappointment of him not being able to play his senior year,” Lashelle said. “For him to burst on the scene, it’s our wildest dream for Sidney coming true.”
Stewart wasn’t heavily scouted and feels that his heavier build as a child may have limited the attention he received. But the “Yung Bull” has always had a relentless confidence in himself.
“I knew he could play at this level,” Stephen said. “I didn’t think it would happen so quickly.”
Now, he’s already emerging as a leader on Ted Monachino’s defense in his second season in College Park. Stewart gained many relationships — and even more lessons — in 2025, and brings intangible wisdom into the 2026 season.
“Sometimes, bad things happen,” Monachino said. “Sidney is one of those guys that always looks at things with his eyes forward. There may have been a down in the middle of a game somewhere else that may help him improve on something that’s going to happen in the next one. Sidney doesn’t miss many chances to get better.”
The 2026 season offers even more chances for growth, opportunities for success, and moments to show the nation what he and his family have always known: that a Yung Bull can’t be tamed.
