(Editor's Note: While the start of the 2025 NFL Draft isn't until late April, it's never too early to profile some of the key participants. The staff of DallasCowboys.com intends to preview the landscape of the draft's top prospects, with an emphasis on possible Cowboys draft picks – from the first round to the last. Today's featured player is Texas A&M EDGE Shemar Stewart.)
- Name: Shemar Stewart
- Position: EDGE
- College: Texas A&M
- Height/Weight: 6'5 / 267
- Did You Know? Stewart was one of the cornerstones of Texas A&M's loaded 2022 recruiting class, which finished as the highest rated recruiting class in college football history by multiple recruiting services. He was also one of the only players to spend his entire career at Texas A&M, whereas 22 of the other 30 high school prospects transferred and finished their careers elsewhere.
Where He's Projected:
After recording one of the best combine performances in recent history, Stewart has exploded up draft boards and will now likely be an early first round pick if teams like his upside enough.
How He Helps the Cowboys:
You can never have enough high-end pass rushing talent. That's what makes Stewart at intriguing option for Dallas if he falls to them at #12 overall. That said, there's still some work to do before Stewart can be considered a top pass rusher not just in the league, but even in this class.
In his three years at Texas A&M, Stewart tallied just four and a half career sacks. Sacks don't tell the entire story, sure, but it is something to consider in terms of the steps he'll have to take to develop into a larger threat of the EDGE.
All of that said, you can't teach the elite blend of athleticism, size and traits that Stewart possesses. He ran a 4.59 40-yard dash, jumped 40" in the vertical and 10' 11" in the broad jump. That makeup is worth taking a chance on, especially to pair on a defensive line that already has attention going to Micah Parsons and Osa Odighizuwa, which could open the door for more opportunities to see those traits flash.
Final Thoughts:
When he was asked at the combine about his lack of production, Stewart had this to say:
"I wasn't a sack-chasing warrior. I just wanted to become the best player for my team. And sometimes that stats don't show that."
Fair enough, especially when you consider that Texas A&M's defensive line was loaded, and teams looked to get the ball out quickly against them for the most part this season. Plus, Stewart's 2.43 seconds to pressure was the best in the nation, and he had 42 total ones in the 2024 season.
Stewart is a polarizing prospect, and rightfully so with the questions on the table, but has the traits to be one of the best players in the draft when people look back in five or so years if he goes to the right scheme and develops.
2025 Dallas Cowboys Star Magazine Draft Guide
Never fear, the OFFICIAL 2025 Dallas Cowboys Star Magazine Draft Guide is here. Inside you'll find positional breakdowns for the team as well as in-depth scouting reports on more than 100 incoming rookies and over 500 players ranked overall. Also featured will be our look back 50 years to the famed Dirty Dozen draft of 1975, a profile on local product and budding running back superstar Ashton Jeanty and, of course, our annual first-round mock draft. Do the draft the Cowboys way with the 2025 Dallas Cowboys Star Magazine Draft Guide!
