Texas A&M junior edge rusher Shemar Stewart announced Monday that he will declare for the 2025 NFL Draft. According to Dane Brugler of The Athletic, Stewart is ranked No. 15 among draft-eligible players and could be a first-round pick.
Stewart, a former five-star recruit and No. 1 in Texas A&M’s 2022 recruiting class, emerged as a mainstay on the Aggies’ defensive line in 2024 after playing a rotation role for his first two seasons. It appeared. Stewart started all 12 games for the Aggies this season and proved to be an effective edge rusher with his size and explosiveness. He recorded 30 quarterback pressures on 315 pass-rush snaps and 31 as part of a talented A&M defensive line that ranks 20th in the FBS in lost tackles, according to Pro Football Focus. He finished the season with 5.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks. He contributed to the Aggies’ top 30 scoring defense.
The 6-foot-6, 290-pound Stewart played in 37 games during his three-year career at Texas A&M, totaling 65 tackles, 12 tackles for a loss and 4.5 sacks. He started seven games in his first two seasons and earned honors as the team’s Most Improved Defensive Player as a sophomore.
Dane Brugler talks about Shemar Stewart
Stewart has just 1.5 sacks this season, which may not be noticeable in the box score. However, scouts value traits over production, which is why the Texas A&M defensive lineman is considered a first-round prospect by NFL teams.
At 6-foot-6 and 290 pounds, Stewart has exceptional balance and movement skills and is on the tail in all four quarters. Where he needs to improve the most is finishing tackles. Stewart has the talent to win in the gaps and impact the backfield, but he needs to maintain control to keep the ball carrier on the ground.
Stewart primarily lined up on the outside as an edge rusher for the Aggies, but his ability to work up and down the line of scrimmage and versatility in the scheme could mean he could end up being a top-20 pick. That’s another reason.
Why is DL Shemar Stewart a first-round pick? 6-6, 290 capricious properties.
Burst from the ball. Power/length that produces knockback. Awareness to find soccer. Range for chasing and tackling. pic.twitter.com/aUCz0G2vfl
— Dane Brugler (@dpbrugler) December 9, 2024
(Photo: Tim Warner/Getty Images)
