Bengals: Shemar Stewart
This is a classic draft conundrum: measurables and traits vs production.
The first two show up on paper, the last is revealed during a game.
That’s dangerous….because it becomes about projections and development on the next level.
Shemar Stewart certainly looks and tests the part: Big. Strong. Long. Fast. Versatile. Explosive. Strong work Ethic.
His athleticism and testing numbers are eye popping and chart topping.
Stewart scored a 10.00 RAS (Relative Athletic Score) out of a possible 10.00. He ranked No. 1 out of 2,029 DE from 1987 to 2025. Wow.
Yet, those measurables and a cup of coffee added up to just 1.5 sacks in each of his three seasons, for a career total of 4.5 sacks over 37 games.
As Joe Goodberry (Bengals on the Brain) pointed out on Twitter:
Stewart has a career 12.5% pressure rate.
That puts him in the 56th percentile amongst edge prospects.
In True Pass Sets, Stewart has a career 20.2% pressure rate.
That puts him in the 67th percentile amongst edge prospects.
“It really came down to finishing. He's missed 8 tackles/sacks as a pass rusher the last two years.,” said Goodberry.
‘Finishing’ is a big word attached to Stewart. Close, so many times. But close = missed tackles, a troubling missed tackle rate of 26.9% last season.
To be fair, sacks are not a be-all-end-all. Pressure is good. Forcing a QB out of the pocket, forcing an early throw, rushing a decision is a good thing.
Stewart had 39 pressures last season and was certainly disruptive.
So, can the Bengals get it to ‘click’ with Stewart? Can they make him a closer?
Well, the Bengals developmental history with defensive players, specifically, hasn’t exactly been sterling in recent years. You’ve probably already flashed to Myles Murphy at this point. The Bengals 2023 1st round pick has shown little in his first two seasons, managing zero sacks last season.
But to be fair, major variables have changed on the coaching end of this equation.
The Bengals have a new defensive coordinator in Al Golden and a new defensive line coach in Jerry Montgomery. Can they take Stewart, and his traits and measurables, and convert them into production?
When Duke Tobin met with the media earlier this week he said “Sometimes you bet on traits.”
With this selection, the Bengals pushed their chips in on Stewart. If this bet hits, they have a pass rushing force.
If not, we will all be tracking pass rushing prospects for the 2026 draft, while likely needing to replace the departed Trey Hendrickson.
By any measure, that would add up to major trouble.