Texas A&M's historic workout warrior earns dubious placement on 2025 NFL Draft riskiest prospect list
Shemar Stewart had himself a historic 2025 NFL Scouting Combine. The multi-day event gives every 2025 NFL Draft prospect the chance to shine, and the former Texas A&M star has vaulted his way into consideration to be selected as high as No. 3 overall. At least, that's the case if the NFL favors freak athleticism […]
Shemar Stewart had himself a historic 2025 NFL Scouting Combine. The multi-day event gives every 2025 NFL Draft prospect the chance to shine, and the former Texas A&M star has vaulted his way into consideration to be selected as high as No. 3 overall.
At least, that's the case if the NFL favors freak athleticism as it routinely has. It's not unprecedented for the Combine to upend what we thought we knew about how the top picks would shake out.
The 2022 NFL Draft saw Travon Walker leapfrog Aidan Hutchinson after the former Bulldog dominated the event.
However, despite his incredible breakout season ending with a crescendo at the combine, not everyone is sold on what they saw on the tape. I can't say I disagree.
Fox Sports NFL Draft expert Rob Rang listed Stewart as the second-riskiest prospect in the 2025 NFL Draft right behind Alabama's Jalen Milroe.
"In terms of the workout numbers, the comparison [to Myles Garrett] is valid. The 6-foot-5, 267-pound Stewart was clocked at a ridiculous 4.59 seconds in the 40-yard dash with a 40-inch vertical and 10-foot, 11-inch broad jump. Garrett, half an inch shorter and five pounds heavier, ran a 4.64 with a 41-inch vertical and a 10-foot, eight-inch broad jump back in 2017.
The production, however, is nothing alike. Stewart infamously recorded just 4.5 sacks over 37 games in three years at College Station. Garrett recorded 32.5 sacks in 36 games, including 8.5 in an injury-plagued junior campaign in which he was the focus on every opponent's blocking scheme.
A strong argument can be made that Stewart created many more big plays than his poor sack numbers suggest. According to PFF, Stewart jumped from 16 to 30 to 42 total pressures generated over his college career.
While those numbers suggest Stewart's best football lies ahead of him, he's proven more flash than finish thus far – and certainly not what most expect out of a first-round pick."
Therein lies the difficult part of the projection with Stewart. While the 2025 NFL Draft class isn't loaded with surefire stars, there are more accomplished pass rushers than Stewart.
Are his traits and flashes on film enough to justify taking in the top 10? I think so, but he's certainly among the top threats to be an all-time workout warrior who struggles to maimize his immense skill set. His lack of production will be alarming to every staff considering him while on the clock next month.
