The Cincinnati Bengals went with Shemar Stewart at No. 17 in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft, and he’ll be rocking No. 97 when he takes the field for the first time as an NFL player. It’s the same number worn by Bengals great Geno Atkins, so Stewart has a lot to live up to in honoring the No. 97 jersey.
Stewart played collegiately at Texas A&M and was among the top defensive lineman in the draft.
While his collegiate production wasn’t much, his intangibles and potential are certainly there. He had 1.5 sacks in each of the three seasons with the Aggies and totaled 12 tackles for loss in that time as well.
The Bengals are going to need Stewart early, too, especially with the whole Trey Hendrickson contract situation still up in the air. While Stewart should have a rare mix of explosiveness and size, he still needs to put it all together and show that on-field product.
The potential is there, and now it is up to both Stewart and defensive coordinator Al Golden to get the best out of the rookie.