NFL Draft expert outlines why Shemar Stewart is the definitive case study in important debate
Shemar Stewart did Texas A&M football proud in his showing at yesterday’s NFL Combine. The former defensive end for the Aggies went out there and recorded one of the highest Relative Athletic Scores we’ve ever seen— and that potential he flashed already has him shooting up draft boards.
This was anticipated, to some degree. There was already a lot of buzz about what Stewart might be able to accomplish at the combine, given his verified measurables, and he lived up to every bit of that hype.
There’s still an elephant in the room, though, when it comes to his status as a prospect: his lack of production in college. For his career, Stewart put up only 4.5 sacks and 12 tackles for loss in 3 years. Those are shockingly low numbers for a guy who is getting first round buzz.
Todd McShay calls Shemar Stewart a ‘case study’ for tools vs production debate in NFL draft rooms
Even so, draft experts and GMs are still high on what Stewart can bring. Todd McShay, one of the foremost voices in the space, outlined yesterday why Stewart is a “case study” in the debate for tools versus production.
NFL evaluators will have to think about what they might be able to unlock if they can get Shemar Stewart into their building. Stewart’s case study is Travon Walker (2022 No. 1 overall pick out of UGA). Similar measurables, but I think Stewart has better torso flexibility to work… pic.twitter.com/SWxvVcxhE1
— Todd McShay (@McShay13) February 28, 2025
I think it’s important to note what McShay makes mention of here: it’s not as though the tools we’re talking about with Shemar have not transferred to the tape. You can see him flash them and leverage them in game situations, but it simply hasn’t ended up turning into quantifiable production.
I think Stewart’s tools will take him all the way to an extremely high selection in this draft. Sack production is not nearly as predictive as pressure generation is, of course, and so I anticipate the discussion to surround that latter statistic as the draft draws ever nearer.
