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Since joining Ford Sports Performance, class of 2024 Kelso star Payton Stewart said he has locked in on developing as an offensive tackle.

And his recruitment has soared.

The 6-foot-6, 250-pound jumbo athlete has picked up offers from Idaho, Oregon State, UNLV and Washington State, adding Arizona State and SMU on Tuesday. 

The offer from the Sun Devils, in particular, left a lasting impression on the rising prospect.

"Coach (Sage) Tuitele (messaged) me and asked if I could Facetime," Stewart said. "So I called him up and he said he wanted to get me out in the sunshine and that he was going to give me a offer. My reaction was just pure excitement. I couldn’t believe that I was getting an offer from a school like that and it was just surreal."

So far, Stewart's biggest visit has been to check out the Washington Huskies and he's hoping an offer comes down the road.

"The Washington visit was very cool," he said. "The whole facility is great. It would mean a lot to get an offer from U-Dub. It's like a staple of Washington and the culture there is crazy." 

Still, that offer wouldn't be an immediate game-ender to his recruitment.

"I wouldn’t say it a giant recruitment changer, but it would definitely make me think about it a lot," he said. "Because I want to get to see all the schools and get to know the coaches." 

This spring, Stewart hopes to visit several Pac-12 programs, including Arizona, Arizona State, Oregon, Oregon State and Washington State.

Here's what he had to say about a few of those programs.

Oregon: "The Ducks are a very cool place and the fans are great, too. When I went there for a game this year and you get to walk with the players it is just a crazy feeling. And the relationships with Ducks has been off and on but it’s starting to pick up." 

Oregon State: "I really like OSU. Also, coach (Jim) Michalczik is a great coach and he’s definitely building something. And it’s not too far from home." 

Washington State: "I like the Cougars, too. I actually lived in Pullman for a year so I’m familiar with the area and I really like the Palouse." 

Stewart's recruitment is clearly gaining steam, so more visits - and offers - could be coming.

But he'll get a strong recruiting foundation established in the coming months with his series of Pac-12 trips.

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