Texas A&M defensive end Shemar Stewart officially announced his intention to enter the 2025 NFL Draft earlier this week. A 6-foot-6 and 290-pound dominant presence, Stewart will enter the pre-draft process as one of the more intriguing prospects available in April. The Miami, Florida native has totaled 31 tackles and 1.5 sacks this season.
Stewart's size and length with rare athleticism for a prospect of his size and stature. The Aggies standout possesses a three-down skill set as a disruptive defensive lineman with the versatility required to play multiple positions up front. Power, rare movement skills, and explosion are traits that are present in abundance.
With Stewart officially declaring for the draft, we've identified three potential team fits.
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts drafted Laiatu Latu last year, but general manager Chris Ballard isn't afraid to double down on edge defenders. In 2021, Ballard drafted pass rushers with consecutive selections in Kwity Paye and Dayo Odeyingbo. The latter is now scheduled to reach free agency and the Colts may encounter difficulties if they attempt to re-sign him.
Odeyingbo's departure will create a hole behind Latu and Paye. Rotational pass rusher Samson Ebukam is a potential cap casualty with more than $8 million available in savings if he's released. He's missed the entire season with a torn Achilles injury. Defensive coordinator Gus Bradley loves rotating rushers. Ballard loves raw athletes like Stewart, who would be allowed to ease into Indianapolis' front seven.
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers haven't had an easy time finding long-term solutions opposite Nick Bosa. Drake Jackson, a 2022 second-round pick, hasn't played this season due to a patellar tendon injury. General manager John Lynch signed Leonard Floyd and Yetur Gross-Matos in free agency this past summer. They've combined for 12.5 sacks with Floyd leading the entire team in QB takedowns with 8.5.
Floyd will turn 33 next September in another contract season. The 49ers desperately need to restock the cupboard with promising young rushers. The jury remains out on first-year defensive coordinator Nick Sorensen. Versatile, effective three-down linemen like Stewart would have an immediate impact in San Francisco next season.
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs keep winning in unimpressive fashion. The 12-1 Chiefs are miraculously 10-0 in one-score outcomes. One of the more disappointing aspects of their outputs this campaign has been their below-average pass rush. Steve Spagnuolo's unit has recorded a 27th-ranked 27 sacks. Collectively, they've posted a pass-rush-win-rate of just 39%, per ESPN Stats & Info.
The Chiefs have invested premium draft picks in pass rushers, but the results haven't met the capital. Sophomore first-rounder Felix Anudike-Uzomah has recorded 1.5 sacks this season. Third-year first-rounder George Karlaftis is tied for the team lead in sacks with five, but remains a subpar one-on-one winner. GM Brett Veach needs to get Chris Jones some help. If the Chiefs fail to three-peat, it may be due to their inability to apply consistent pressure on quarterbacks. Stewart’s inside-outside ability would pair nicely next to Jones.
