It’s been an eventful few weeks for Aggies draft fanatics after the Combine. After Shemar Stewart finished in the top 3 among edge rushers in multiple events, he has taken a sharp rise in most projected drafts, from somewhere in the middle of the first round to now a top ten pick. In his latest draft, Stewart was mocked at No. 8 overall to the Carolina Panthers.
The Panthers rank just ahead of the Atlanta Falcons in sacks over the past five years, with Stewart’s skillset being desperately needed after top NFL edge rusher Brian Burns was traded to the New York Giants two offseasons ago. Last year, the Panthers went with an edge combo of DJ Wonnum and Jadeveon Clowney, which saw middling success. With both on shortly expiring deals, addressing edge needs is seen as vital. Photo by Kevin Jairaj of Imagine Images, September 28th, 2024.
Shemar Stewart is seen forcing a fumble against Arkansas RB Ja’Quinden Jackson. Stewart was graded among the top 15 edge rushers in college football last year, according to PFF. Stewart is seen as having the “highest ceiling” and the best tools to be an elite edge rusher. Standing at 6″6 and dropping 30 pounds after the Senior Bowl to around 260 pounds, Stewart showed a lightning fast bend that has draft analysts and NFL scouts taking note. In Athlon’s Luke Easterling’s latest mock draft, he drew a comparison to Travon Walker, the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.
Walker, who was on one of the Georgia national championship teams, was initially seen as a mid to late first-round pick before a Combine performance made him a late riser in the process, similar to Stewart. While Shemar Stewart is very unlikely to become the first overall pick like Walker was, he is becoming increasingly likely to become a top ten pick, if not having the potential to go even higher.
In the last Athlon mock draft before the Combine, he was projected as the 15th overall selection to the Atlanta Falcons, where he was seen as the piece the Falcons have desperately needed for years and years, showing his rise in post-combine mocks. Regardless of where Stewart goes, he is set to make an impact for a team that could desperately use his services.