NFL scouts arrived at the 2025 Scouting Combine expecting to see top-tier talent, but few athletes turned heads quite like Texas A&M edge rusher Shemar Stewart.
Standing at 6’5″ and weighing 267 pounds, Stewart already boasts an elite NFL-ready frame. However, it was his remarkable speed and explosiveness that truly set him apart from the competition.
Record-Breaking Athleticism
Stewart clocked an impressive 4.59-second 40-yard dash, including a blistering 1.6-second 10-yard split. His jumping ability was equally astonishing, recording a 10’11” broad jump and a 40-inch vertical leap—marks rarely seen from a player of his size.
His performance was so historic that Kent Lee Platte, an NFL scout known for his Relative Athletic Score (RAS) formula, awarded Stewart a perfect 10.00 RAS rating. This ranks him as the most athletic defensive end ever recorded from 1987 to 2025, out of 1,802 scouted athletes.
Platte noted Stewart is the highest-rated defensive end in modern NFL Combine history, further elevating his stock ahead of the draft.
Drawing Comparisons to Myles Garrett
With his elite athleticism, Stewart has drawn comparisons to fellow Texas A&M alum Myles Garrett, now a star with the Cleveland Browns. Next Gen Stats highlighted Stewart’s 1.58-second 10-yard split, tying him for the second-fastest time among defenders over 265 pounds in the last 15 years.
While his physical profile is eerily similar to Garrett’s, one major concern looms over Stewart’s draft projection—his on-field production.
The Biggest Question Mark in the Draft?
Despite his athletic gifts, Stewart recorded just 4.5 combined sacks in three seasons at Texas A&M, a stark contrast to Garrett’s 32.5 sacks during his collegiate career. This lack of statistical output has left some NFL scouts skeptical about how well his physical tools will translate to the professional level.
However, Stewart’s time at Texas A&M was turbulent. He was a highly touted recruit in the Aggies’ historic 2022 class, but the program struggled, going 12-13 over the next two seasons. Coaching instability—including the firing of Jimbo Fisher—led to significant roster turnover, making it difficult to gauge Stewart’s true potential.
Boom-or-Bust Prospect
Stewart’s elite athleticism makes him one of the most intriguing prospects in the 2025 NFL Draft, but his inconsistent production makes him a risky pick. Some team will take the chance on his raw talent—now, the question is whether he can turn that into dominance at the next level.
One franchise is about to find out.
