After an impressive performance at the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, Texas A&M edge rusher Shemar Stewart is soaring up draft boards. The 6-foot-6-inch defensive end was among the top five defensive ends in each of the four events he participated in at the combine, including first in the broad jump (10″11) and second in vertical jump with a 40 inch performance. Stewart’s strong performance launched him from a mid-first round pick to the top ten of Athlon Sports’ latest mock draft, as Luke Easterling now projects him to the Carolina Panthers at pick No. 8. Stewart was the second edge rusher picked in Easterling’s latest mock draft, behind only Penn State standout Abdul Carter, who is projected to go fourth to the New England Patriots.
While the Panthers have good pieces on offense, especially with the emergence of quarterback Bryce Young, defense is an area Carolina will need to address in the draft. Edge duo DJ Wonnum and Jadeveon Clowney are both on expiring deals, so Stewart would be a great fit with the Panthers. Carolina unsurprisingly struggled to rush the passer last year after trading edge rusher Brian Burns to the New York Giants last March. The Panthers were 29th in the NFL in sacks and were 31st in pass rush win rate last season, and rank in the bottom 3 of sacks in the last five years.
Stewart’s speed and athleticism make him an intriguing prospect for the Panthers, as he could give Carolina an edge rusher who can win one-on-one matchups and create opportunities for his teammates among the defensive front. These traits were on full display during Stewart’s performance at the combine, as he finished fourth among defensive ends in the 40-yard dash with a time of 4.59 seconds. Stewart also finished third in the 10-yard split with a time of 1.58 seconds.
Along with a strong performance in the speed drills, Stewart delivered a great showing in jumping events, displaying his athleticism. A successful weekend in Indianapolis should help offset concerns teams may have about Stewart’s puzzling lack of production at Texas A&M. In each of his three seasons with the Aggies, Stewart tallied just 1.5 sacks every year. However, his side of the story is a little different – “I wasn’t a sack-chasing warrior.” Texas A&M edge rusher Shemar Stewart turned heads with his Senior Bowl performance but had just 1.5 sacks in his final college season.
“I wasn’t a sack-chasing warrior,” he said. “I just wanted to become the best player for my team. Sometimes the stats don’t show that.” pic.twitter.com/mVZ9Lb0fU9 — Eric Williams (@eric_d_williams) February 26, 2025 While his overall sack numbers don’t rank highly among NFL draft prospects, his pressure rate of 14% and a pass-rush win rate of 11% put him more among the elite prospects of this draft and among one of the top edge rushers in college football last season. Stewart clearly has the traits needed to succeed in the NFL, as shown by his combine performance, he will just need to put it together on the field.
According to NFL Next Gen Stats’ prospect grading system, which predicts success in the NFL, Stewart ranks seventh among edge rushers in potential success. NFL Next Gen Stats uses a combination of athleticism scores from the combine and production scores from a player’s college career to determine their grade. Stewart’s grade is weighed down by his lack of college production, but his athleticism score ranks fourth among edge rushers, which indicates he should be successful at the next level.
Stewart’s talent and physical traits make him a viable pick for any team in need of a pass rusher. Despite concerns about his college production, Stewart’s elite athleticism and explosiveness suggest he has the tools to develop into a reliable starter within his first two seasons. Whether it’s the Panthers or another team in need of a defensive spark, expect to hear Stewart’s name early on Day 1 of the 2025 NFL Draft.