Blogging The Boys
The Cowboys could use another strong edge defender
Shemar Stewart is a former blue-chip prospect whose time to go pro has finally arrived. The Miami native was a 5-star prospect back in 2022, ranked as the top player in the talent-rich state of Florida and the ninth overall player in the entire nation.
Name: Shemar Stewart
Position: EDGE
Height: 6’6”
Weight: 290 pounds
He picked the Aggies over offers to play for just about every other SEC school, as well as blue bloods like Michigan, Ohio State, and Notre Dame. Playing on the edge for Texas A&M despite standing at a listed 290 pounds, Stewart has always been considered a bit of a tweener on the defensive line.
That said, he’s played almost exclusively out wide for the Aggies despite a scheme change heading into this past year. His numbers don’t jump out at you, but Stewart’s role in college asked him to do a thankless job, one that Stewart executed to a very high degree.
For how big he is, you’d expect Stewart to be a little slower off the line, but he isn’t. Other edge rushers have better first steps, but Stewart lurches forward and does a great job of using his heavy momentum to carry him forward without losing balance.
Stewart is extremely precise with his feet, wasting no movement as he executes his rush plan. For being built like a skyscraper, he has some elite bend out on the edge. He gets great positioning on offensive tackles thanks to a long stride and a low center of gravity that he uses expertly.
Stewart has two clubs for hands, frequently rocking offensive tackles back when he makes contact. His speed to power is fun to watch, and Stewart fully understands the heft he carries in his hands. At times he’s not intentional enough with his hand technique, preferring to use his whole body to simply overpower a tackle, but this is something that can be coached up at the next level.
He seems to have just about every move in his arsenal, but he’s very inconsistent in how he uses them. Texas A&M never really seemed to get Stewart honed in on one pass rush plan, rather letting him freelance a little too much.
Stewart is surprisingly nimble when moving laterally, and he showed a lot of promise on stunts and twists in college. His long stride and quick side-to-side movements make him a nightmare for interior guards when he gets matched up there, and it helped Stewart excel as a run defender too.
He won’t test at an elite level at the NFL Combine, but he’ll also be the heaviest EDGE there. It’s why some analysts think he should move to defensive tackle at the next level. Never mind that, though, as EDGE is Stewart’s home and, on a per-pound basis, he is extremely athletic. He’s not beating Micah Parsons...
