Miami (Fla.) Monsignor Pace defensive end Shemar Stewart has the distinction of being ranked as the No. 1 overall prospect in the nation for the 2022 class, according to the initial 2022 rankings released by 247Sports last week.

The Clemson Insider caught up with Stewart, who is honored to be considered the top player in his class right now but knows his grip on the No. 1 spot could slip if he doesn’t keep grinding.

“Being ranked as the No. 1 in my class is a great honor,” he said, “but I got to keep working because as fast as I got it, that’s how fast I could lose it.”

Heading into his sophomore season, Stewart already stands at an eye-popping 6-foot-6, 236 pounds. His rare combination of elite size, length, athleticism and speed off the edge has enticed over a dozen schools to extend early offers, including the likes of Florida, Georgia, Miami, Oregon, Penn State, Pittsburgh, South Carolina and Tennessee.

Stewart figures to boast offers from virtually every blue blood program when he gets older. As it stands now, there are several offers that he hopes to pick up along the way.

“Moving forward I wish to be offered from Clemson, Alabama, LSU, Auburn and Ohio State,” he said.

Clemson is showing a pretty good amount of early interest according to Stewart.

“Seven out of a scale of 1-10,” he said.

The interest is definitely mutual, and Stewart says he would love to visit Death Valley at some point.

“When it comes to the Clemson program, the winning culture definitely sticks out,” he said. “The atmosphere in that stadium is electric and last but not least their D-line always has a lot of talent.”

Stewart feels he is getting the most interest from Miami right now.

As he goes through the recruiting process and checks out different schools, Stewart will be keeping a close out eye for a couple of things specifically.

“I’m looking for a school that is going to meet my requirements when it comes to education and my development as a man on and off the field,” he said.

What makes Stewart special is not only his physical tools and gifts, but also his desire to put in the time and work it takes to be great.

“The way I describe myself as a player, I’ll say I’m a student of the game,” he said. “I’m always willing to learn and take in knowledge. I have a great work ethic and I think that’s a good quality to have.”