Shemar Stewart is the NFL Draft’s most curious case study

The 2025 NFL Draft Class is a perfect example of what they will become, not just drafting people who are now. This is a push-pull that will make an impact right now with the banking industry, which is unique development programs and coaching that can turn players into superstars. Personally, I think this draft class has really great talent along the offensive and defensive line, and Texas A&M Edge Shemmer Stewart is close to the top of the group. With the meteor rise of Stewart, a 6'5 and 281 pound athletic marvel, he's very high in the mock draft (my latest mock makes him 9th in the New Orleans Saint). The biggest question mark is that he only has 4.5 sacs throughout his career.

But when you go past the numbers in the bag and see what Stewart was asked to do and how he did it, what the tape shows could be a power for the NFL. I think it's all players.

When looking at potential defensive lines, yes, production is important, but how you move and reach point B from point A is a big point to fill out in your scouting report. In Stewart, it's important to understand what he was asked to do and why he was asked to do it (this applies to Georgia Edge Michael Williams, but the two of them Even men are different). Under Texas A&M freshman HC Mike Elko, the Aggies performed a tight/mint front defense that took over college football, similar to what Georgia ran with his latest advantage. With these defenses, the line of defense is taught in a very different way than other defensive line plays. The defensive structure requires players like Stewart to be placed as a 4I technique on the line, and it is rare for many reps to have wider areas where the ears can be secured. This is a screenshot of the clinic, and Kirby Smart and Glenn Schumann spoke (I I highly recommend watching), and instead of lining up on the traditional four-man front with three techniques and one-tech defensive tackle and two edge players, Georgia slides one of those edge types into the 4i. It is shown. This creates a uniform front box count with odd front spacing, hopefully pouring everything into speed.

Now, here's how Stewart lines up when he enters the mint front in the Texas A&M.

This affects the reconnaissance process of those coming from these aspects, due to what they are asked for. Often these players are running on their way to the pass. Their job is to create a pile between tackles and turn their backs on the speed of the edge of the defense. Looking at these defenses, their first step against the pass is not always outside the tackle, but always towards the B-gap.

In Stewart's case, I think you need to first discuss his athletic skills and athletic tools in order to discuss his ceiling as a player. He moves like a guy 20-30 pounds lighter than the listed 281 pound frame, but what really stands out is the flexibility and hip movements of a man of his size. It is very rare to find an athlete as big as Stewart who can take advantage of his length and flexibility in the Edge run game. It's easy to see how lateral speed of a person should make it much smaller and why many people (including me) are high in his game. Take the play as an example for South Carolina. This is one example of Stewart lined up outside the tackle, with the gamecock performing the split zone look with the tight end moving. Learn how Stewart becomes lateral. However, it can produce enough force and knockback to keep your inner arm clean to make tackle. It's a defense of a grown-up butt man.

Also, you can't escape from him. He shows that he is relentlessly driven by hot motors, including screens that have no reason to take part in the play.

He doesn't play here, but sees the strength of his upper body and flexibility to the forklift and he puts Campbell out of this lane and changes the RB's pass. He is a rare athlete, man.

Let's talk about pass rushing. I think this is far more likely than production says. Yes, he only had a career sack of 4.5, but looking at the number of pressure rates he has compared to those who played in a similar scheme makes them interesting. The best example of this is the Jacksonville Jaguars Edge Trabon Walker. He is a continuous promoted player who comes out of a rather productive season. Walker had more sacks in his last year at Georgia, but Stewart's 9.4% pressure rate was high. Plus, another defense that played him more widely in 2023 will have Stewart's 14.8% pressure rate much better. I think there's a reason for that. It is also featured in Defense that Changes Philosophy in 2024 compared to 2023. Look at this bag against Auburn in 2024. On the pass. It's a great way to control the run game from the lightbox, but when it comes to rushing passersby, it doesn't exactly do a lot of your edge favors. Watch Stewart's first step, the read step, and make sure it's a pass play before firing to rush passersby.

Compare this to 2023. There, rather than actually reading what the lineman's block is, you can see him with a wider alignment, and he places the correct tackle on his ass. When it comes to assessing the outlook for a defensive line, it is important to understand that some of these people do not have a flashy pass rush number, especially since Tite/Mint Front is a philosophy of college football. is. Second level chaos and clear lanes.

On the tape, it is clear what Stewart's most distinct pass-rush characteristics are. It has a powerful power speed. We define explosiveness as someone who spins a lineman with a burst of speed, but explosiveness is Through Linemen are equally effective, even more prominent in the NFL. When you think about the last two NFL defensive bluekey of the year winners, both people entered the NFL with the most absurd conversion to speed, about Edge Jared poems of the Los Angeles Rams and Edge Will Anderson Jr. of the Houston Texans . Stewart is coming to the NFL where he can do that and is going to do it really well. See how he places this Florida offensive tackle on ice skating for the bag.

I think he shows the potential of a counter expansion set even when he's not speeding up towards power. I love his violence in RIP movements, both inside and outside the shoulders of the tackle.

If there's one thing Stewart thinks he needs to improve, it's simply finishing the play. He's such a powerful and explosive athlete that he can't fly out of control and pass the QB or pack a bag to get the bag. It's the same as giving a key to an 8-year-old to an F1 car. It looks great, but some of the throttling ones will be adventures. I think Stewart was unfairly labelled “project” if some of his work and pass rush plans were from first-year starters who could become superstars.

This example is from both 2023 and 2024. Stewart blows up with internal movements beyond the South Carolina lineman, but loses balance as he plunders QB Lanolis sellers. He is out of control, so he loses his grip and the seller can escape. This is something you can see from him, making him an appetizing prospect, but there is just another hurdle.

This is against LSU tackle Emery Jones JR, who will be the second day pick of this year's draft from 2023. Absolutely fly with tackles at speed, dip the edges, flatten the corners…and can't grab QB Jayden Daniels (which could be pretty good). I think the discussion about these numbers will be very different when he turns some of these plays into bags.

Overall, I think I'm much more expensive with Shemar Stewart than everyone else. You don't see afreak athletes like Stewart joining the NFL frequently. Being one of the best athletes in the sport in that position gives you a big margin of error. I also think his pass rush plan is better than people giving him credit (and I think he can still expand in that area with hand placement). He played on strange defences in A&M, but in the NFL he could become a star.