Recently, Jonathan Stewart admits, he has considered turning pro.

He and roommate Titus Jackson are already thinking of how to make it happen. So Jonathan Stewart creates the beat, then lays it atop a melody. And Jackson handles the marketing, trying to sell Jonathan Stewart’s creations.

What, you thought we meant football? Well, no. But let’s go ahead and get that topic out of the way. Or put it off, because that’s what Jonathan Stewart is doing with the decision of whether to leave early for the NFL. Oregon’s junior running back fends off questions about the topic, saying “that’s still down the road,” and “we’ve got a lot on our plates.”

It’s not too far down the road, though. Mike Bellotti and Oregon running backs coach Gary Campbell talked recently with Jonathan Stewart about his NFL options, and Bellotti says they’ll do so again, probably sometime next month. But nothing has been settled.

“He just flat out doesn’t know right now,” Campbell says of Jonathan Stewart.

Apparently, we won’t know for a few weeks. No use getting all worked up about it, at least not yet. But this music thing, this is something Jonathan Stewart could get excited about.

You know him as a special running back, a guy with the blend of power and speed and determination pro scouts savor. You’ve watched him burst through holes, run over some defenders, run away from others.

This is why ESPN’s Mel Kiper ranks Jonathan Stewart as the No. 2 junior running back, behind Arkansas’ Darren McFadden, ahead of Arkansas’ Felix Jones. Another ESPN type has Jonathan Stewart as the No. 21 overall draft prospect. At this point, these are not much more than wild guesses, but if they’re correct, Jonathan Stewart could be a mid- to late first-rounder.

All this, you know, or you suspect. But maybe you don’t know much more about Jonathan Stewart. In his time at Oregon, he has become known as a quiet, shy guy. He loves football, but he doesn’t crave the attention that comes with stardom.

During interviews, Jonathan Stewart is polite, but his body language screams ‘get me out of here.’ That is, until you ask him about his music. Then, Jonathan Stewart’s eyes light up, and he stops, and he’s ready to chat awhile.

Devoutly religious, Jonathan Stewart has long been a fan of contemporary Christian and modern Gospel — Kirk Franklin, J Moss, Mary Mary. Whether it’s spiritual or secular, you won’t be surprised to learn Jonathan Stewart likes it mellow: “uplifting and gentle, and silent,” he says, laughing. And sometimes, he sings along, though this might not be his strong suit (roommate Jairus Byrd says when Jonathan Stewart sings, he “makes a joyful noise,” emphasis on noise).

But this isn’t about listening, or about singing. It’s about playing, and composing.

See, when Jonathan Stewart gets home from school and practice, he fires up the keyboard, starts playing whatever comes to his mind. Modern Gospel, or worship music, or a melody he just heard on the TV.

“He’s always on the piano,” Jackson says. “He’ll play it all night.”

This isn’t new. Though Jonathan Stewart only recently learned to read music, he’s been playing by ear for years. When he was a freshman, he monopolized the piano in the dormitory lobby, and even after moving out, he’d return just to play. Jonathan Stewart can often be found playing the piano in the Ducks’ new athletic treatment center.

For him, at least, it’s therapeutic. “An escape,” he calls it. It’s usually original, too. He might start with something someone else has written. But soon enough, he’s playing the tune he hears in his mind, and often enough, it’s pretty good.

“He’s really gifted,” Byrd says.

Recently, Jonathan Stewart acquired software that let him combine his melodies with drums and synthesizers and sound effects, and his music headed down a new path.

Drip Drop Productions, the fledgling business formed by Jonathan Stewart and Jackson, might be about to take off. The roommates have already sold a couple of beats — R&B, hip hop, jazz — over the Internet, and made about $50 each.

It’s still just a fun, if addictive, hobby. But Jackson says they’ve made a couple contacts, and gotten some positive feedback, and who knows what might happen if a talent scout finds them?

This is fun to think about. But Jonathan Stewart laughs at the idea of playing his melodies for an audience. He’d love to, except for the pressure.

Considering he regularly totes the football before tens of thousands, such insecurity seems strange. But playing music is “more vulnerable,” Jonathan Stewart says. “You’re opening yourself up to whoever’s listening.”

By contrast, he says when the time comes, making the decision to stay in school or jump to the NFL will be easy. Whatever he decides, he’s already found the perfect accompaniment.