Texas A&M junior edge rusher Shemar Stewart announced on Monday that he will declare for the 2025 NFL Draft. Stewart is a potential first-round pick, ranked 15th among draft-eligible players, according to The Athletic’s Dane Brugler.
Stewart, a former five-star recruit who was part of Texas A&M’s No. 1 recruiting class in 2022, emerged as a mainstay on the Aggies’ defensive line in 2024 after playing a rotational role his first two seasons. Stewart started all 12 games for the Aggies this season and proved himself as an effective edge rusher because of his size and explosiveness. He logged 30 quarterback pressures in 315 pass rushing snaps, according to Pro Football Focus, finishing the season with 31 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks as part of a talented A&M defensive line that ranked 20th in the FBS in tackles for loss and helped the Aggies to a top-30 scoring defense.
The 6-foot-6, 290-pound Stewart played 37 games in his three-year Texas A&M career, totaling 65 tackles, 12 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks. He started seven games in his first two seasons and earned the team’s most improved defensive player honor as a sophomore.
Dane Brugler on Shemar Stewart
With just 1.5 sacks this season, Stewart might not stand out in the box score. But scouts care more about traits than production, which is why the Texas A&M defensive lineman is viewed as a first-round prospect by NFL teams.
At 6-foot-6 and 290 pounds, Stewart has exceptional balance and movement skills, and he plays his tail off for all four quarters. The area in which he most needs to improve is in finishing his tackles. Stewart has the talent to win in gaps and affect the backfield, but he needs to stay under control to get the ball carrier on the ground.
Though he lined up primarily outside as an edge rusher for the Aggies, Stewart can work up and down the line of scrimmage and is scheme-versatile — another reason he ultimately could be a top-20 pick.
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