CINCINNATI – The biggest knock on edge rusher Shemar Stewart is his lack of production in three seasons at Texas A&M. The Cincinnati Bengals weren’t blind to it
– The biggest knock on edge rusher Shemar Stewart is his lack of production in three seasons at Texas A&M.It’s just that they viewed Stewart’s 4.5 sacks in three collegiate seasons as the palest shade of red when it comes to warning flags, which is why they zeroed in on the 6-foot-5, 267-pounder and freakish athletic traits and 9.
99 RAS score to make him the No. 17 pick in the draft.“You’re not compromising character, you're not compromising work ethic, you're not compromising play style, you're not compromising height, weight, speed,” Golden continued. “The focus is on what he needs to improve, and that's fair. But I welcome that challenge.”What makes that number so concerning is, ironically, the same thing that led the Bengals to put him so high on their draft board – the volume of opportunities. Stewart’s explosion off the ball and freakish blend of speed and power got him around quarterbacks, but he struggled with wrapping them up and finishing. The Bengals are putting a lot of faith in Golden, in his first season as defensive coordinator, and new defensive line coach Jerry Montgomery can translate potential to production. "He really fits what we're looking for, the effort, the play style," head coach Zac Taylor said. "Al's got a great vision for how to utilize him. Fired up that he was there, and we were able to add him to the mix." After not taking a defensive lineman in the first round in 21 consecutive drafts from 2002-22, the Bengals have selected on in two of the last three years, with Myles Murphy snapping the drought in 2023. Murphy’s inability to find production in his first two seasons only adds skepticism to the Stewart pick, whether that’s fair or not. And Murphy, who is nearly a physical twin to Stewart at 6-5, 270 pounds, produced in college with 17.5 sacks in three seasons at Clemson. The Bengals are desperate for more pass rushers to pair – for now – with Trey Hendrickson, who led the league with 17.5 sacks last year.When the Bengals were on the clock at No. 17, Marshall edge Mike Green, who led the FBS with 17 sacks in 2024, was available, as were several other pass rushers with far more collegiate production. “If is the only thing we're focused on when he gets here in terms of quieting that down and making that better and giving him a plan for improvement, then we're going to be successful,” Golden said confidently.The Bengals are putting a lot of hope and faith into Stewart developing his elite physical traits into a productive pass rusher who can consistently rush the passer. Just as they are putting a lot of hope and faith in finding two starting guards from a handful of mid-tier, at best, candidates.“It's just technical things along the way to the quarterback I need to refine and just wrapping up the quarterback when I get there,” he said. “It's not like I can't get there. I led my team this year in pressures, and we had the best D-line in the SEC in my opinion. So it's just minor technical difficulties on my end.” Stewart is not only aware of the criticism that comes with his lack of productive sack numbers, he said he’s driven by it. “I have a big chip on my shoulder,” he said. “Don't worry. It's gonna stay there. I feel like people have overlooked me for too long. I've just got to come in here and prove right.”“Not even close. Trust me. When I get there, it's gonna be a scary sight.” Bengals fans scared by the pick might be on the fence about whether they hope Stewart is right, or wrong.Jay Morrison covers the Cincinnati Bengals for Bengals On SI. He has been writing about the NFL for nearly three decades. Combining a passion for stats and storytelling, Jay takes readers beyond the field for a unique look at the game and the people who play it. Prior to joining Bengals on SI, Jay covered the Cincinnati Bengals beat for The Athletic, the Dayton Daily News and Pro Football Network.
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