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The Bengals selected DL Shemar Stewart in the first round of the NFL Draft. Stewart drew attention with a terrific Combine workout, led by a 95th-percentile speed score. He added a 91st-percentile 10-yard split, 96th-percentile vertical, and 98th-percentile broad jump. The problem: Stewart's college production stunk. He tallied just 1.5 sacks in each of his three seasons and topped out at 6 tackles for loss in 2024. Stewart did increase his total pressures each year. His 39 pressures in 2024 tied for 47th among FBS edge players -- a solid number considering he ranked 65th in pass-rushing opportunities.
What do you see when you look at Stewart? Cuz I see a big red flag flapping in the breeze.
Three seasons of only 1.5 sacks? Twelve total tackles for loss, with a single-season high of six? For a 6'5, 267-pound dude with a 120.3 speed score?
Where'd all that first-round talent go?
You should not only be wary of Stewart's chances of scoring fantasy points for your team this year and beyond. You should generally be wary of a guy with loads of physical ability who never turns that into college production.
The competition's about to get significantly tougher. Why should we expect Stewart to suddenly deliver numbers?
The Bengals could certainly use D-line help, so there will be immediate opportunity. But don't expect Stewart to make IDP impact in 2025.
Longer term? I'm still not interested. For all the same reasons.
The Stewart pick looks like sneaky-good news for Joseph Ossai and Myles Murphy -- at least for 2025.
We'll see what coaches say about Stewart's initial role. But my doubts about him for both the short and long term present opportunity for Ossai, who the Bengals re-signed this offseason; and Murphy, who's coming off a quiet first two seasons but arrived as a first-round pick in 2023.
Ossai's the guy I'm most interested here.
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