You’ve seen the highlights. Or maybe you haven’t, because honestly, the box score for Shemar Stewart usually looks a little thin. It’s the classic draft season dilemma: do you trust the guy with 15 sacks against mediocre competition, or do you bet the house on the 6'5", 267-pound specimen who moves like a gazelle but only has 4.5 career sacks?
Most people get the Shemar Stewart draft profile completely wrong by focusing on the lack of finish. They see the "1.5 sacks per season" stat and run for the hills. But NFL GMs? They’re salivating. Why? Because you can teach a player how to use a club-rip move. You can't teach a human being how to have an 84-inch wingspan and a 40-inch vertical jump.
The Physical Freak Show No One Can Ignore
Let’s talk about the Combine. It’s easy to call guys "workout warriors," but Stewart actually broke the scale. He posted a perfect 10.0 Relative Athletic Score (RAS). To put that in perspective, that’s better than 2,000 other defensive ends since 1987.
He clocked a 4.59-second 40-yard dash at nearly 270 pounds. That’s a "shut the laptop and go home" type of number. His 1.58-second 10-yard split is actually more impressive than the 40 time. It proves he isn't just fast; he’s explosive. He’s out of his stance and into the tackle’s chest before the guy has even processed the snap count.
- Height: 6'5"
- Weight: 267 lbs
- Wingspan: 84 3/4" (97th percentile)
- Vertical Jump: 40"
He’s basically a created player from a video game. His reach is so long he can practically tie his shoes without leaning over. In the run game, this is his superpower. He "stacks" offensive tackles—basically keeps them at arm's length so they can't get into his chest—and then sheds them like a wet paper towel.
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The Production Problem: Red Flag or Context?
Here’s where it gets messy. If you look at his time at Texas A&M, the numbers are, well, underwhelming. 4.5 sacks in three years. That’s it. For a first-round pick, that’s almost unheard of.
But scouts look at pressures, not just sacks. In 2024, Stewart had 39 pressures. He was living in the backfield; he just wasn't finishing the play. Part of that was the Aggies' scheme, where he was often asked to play a "heavy" technique, eating up blocks to let linebackers roam free.
He’s a disruptor. Not always a finisher. Yet.
Think about Danielle Hunter. When Hunter came out of LSU, people said the same thing. "Where are the sacks?" He had 4.5 career sacks in college, too. Now he’s a perennial Pro Bowler. NFL teams are betting that Stewart is the next version of that—a guy who was "handcuffed" by a college system but will explode once a pro coach lets him pin his ears back.
Why the Cincinnati Bengals Took the Gamble
The Bengals shocked a lot of people by taking him 17th overall in the 2025 draft. They didn't need a "safe" pick; they needed a ceiling.
Early on, things were rocky. Stewart held out of rookie minicamp. He wanted his contract guaranteed—all of it. It was a bold move for a guy with five career sacks, but it showed he knows his worth. He eventually signed a four-year, fully guaranteed deal on July 26, 2025.
His rookie season has been a bit of a rollercoaster. He’s had some injury bugs, specifically a knee issue that landed him on IR for a stretch in November. But when he's on the field, the "scary" version of Shemar Stewart shows up. He had a sack against Bowling Green and forced a fumble against Arkansas.
He’s raw. Like, really raw. His hand placement is sometimes all over the place. He relies on his bull-rush way too much because, frankly, he’s stronger than 90% of the people he faces. In the NFL, that won't work against guys like Penei Sewell. He needs a plan B.
What Scouts Are Saying Behind Closed Doors
I talked to a few guys who’ve spent time watching his A&M tape. One AFC scout told me, "He’s a slow processor right now. He sees the ball late. But once he sees it? It’s over."
The consensus is that he’s a 4-3 defensive end who should eventually move to a Wide-9 alignment. Put him way outside the tackle, let him use that 4.59 speed to loop around the edge, and stop asking him to read-and-react.
The Scouting Report: Strengths vs. Weaknesses
It’s not all sunshine and rainbows. To get a real feel for the Shemar Stewart draft profile, you have to look at the ugly stuff too.
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The Good:
He has "heavy hands." When he punches a tackle, you can hear it in the nosebleed seats. His lateral movement is freakish for a guy his size, making him a nightmare on stunts and twists. He can sink his hips and turn the corner, though he’s still learning how to do it consistently without losing his balance.
The Bad:
Missed tackles. He had a missed tackle rate above 20% in college. That’s high. He gets so excited to make a play that he loses his fundamentals and lunges. He also plays with a high pad level. If he stays too tall, NFL guards will get under him and drive him into the dirt when he moves inside.
Is He a Bust or a Star?
Honestly? It’s too early to tell, but the tools are all there. If he stays healthy and stays in the film room, he has the potential to be a 10-sack-a-year guy. If he doesn't develop a second pass-rush move, he’ll just be a very athletic run-stuffer.
But you don't draft a 10.0 RAS athlete to be a run-stuffer.
The Bengals are betting that by year three, he’s one of the most feared edge defenders in the AFC North. He’s already showing flashes of being a problem for quarterbacks.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Evaluators
- Watch the Hands: If you're watching him play, ignore the sack count. Look at his hands. Is he getting them off his chest? Is he using a "rip" or a "swim"? That’s the sign of development.
- Health is Wealth: His knee injury in 2025 is a concern. Keep an eye on his explosiveness off the line. If that 1.58 ten-yard split slows down, his value drops.
- Scheme Fit: He needs to be in a system that lets him attack. If he's asked to "two-gap" or wait for the play to come to him, he’s being wasted.
The Shemar Stewart story is just starting. He’s a high-stakes gamble in a league that loves to bet on traits. Whether he becomes Myles Garrett or just another "what if" depends entirely on what happens in the Bengals' weight room and film sessions over the next 24 months.
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If you’re tracking his progress, look for him to increase his "true pass set" win rate. That’s the real metric that will tell us if he’s turning the corner. For now, he’s a physical marvel that every offensive coordinator has to circle on the whiteboard, just in case today is the day he puts it all together.