Texas A&M Aggies DE Lands With Rising NFC Contender in New Mock Draft

Just over two weeks remain until the 2025 NFL Draft begins, and projections for Texas A&M Aggies pass rusher Shemar Stewart still vary wildly.

Stewart was one of the stars of the NFL Scouting Combine, as he showed off the incredible athleticism that makes him such an intriguing prospect. His combine performance absolutely boosted his draft stock, but his lackluster production - just 1.5 sacks in each of the past three seasons - is still a red flag to some analysts. He's near-unanimously seen as a first-round pick, but it's difficult to find a consensus on where exactly he'll go.

ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. seems to fall into the camp that believes Stewart will go later in the first round, as he projected the edge rusher to go to the Washington Commanders at No. 29 overall in his newest mock draft. However, Kiper also believes Stewart has a chance to go much earlier.

American team tight end Jackson Hawes of Georgia Tech spars with American team defensive lineman Shemar Stewart of Texas A&M. | Vasha Hunt-Imagn Images

"Stewart's draft stock is hard to predict," Kiper wrote. "As I mentioned earlier, I considered him for Cincinnati at No. 17. He comes off the board here, 12 spots later. It's the same dilemma that GMs will be struggling with on draft night. Stewart has all the talent in the world -- speed, explosiveness and power. But he also had 4.5 sacks over three seasons.

"If an NFL coaching staff can help him put it all together, the upside is immense. I'm betting on Commanders coach Dan Quinn unlocking that potential. Dante Fowler Jr.'s departure in free agency means there's a hole opposite Dorance Armstrong on the D-line."

The Commanders were one of the best stories in the NFL in 2024, going 12-5 and making a surprise trip to the NFC Championship Game. The loss of Fowler, who led the team with 10.5 sacks last season, looms large, however. If Stewart is available at No. 29 overall, and the Commanders can develop him properly, then he could be part of the solution.

Fellow Aggies pass rusher Nic Scourton, who led the team with five sacks last season, may not be generating as much buzz as his counterpart, but is widely seen as a Day 2 pick. In this mock draft, he goes at No. 53 overall to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

"Tampa Bay tied for sixth in sacks last season (46), but Logan Hall was the only edge rusher with more than five ... with 5.5. Scourton didn't have as much sack production in 2024 (five) as he did at Purdue in 2023 (10), but the traits are there for him to bull-rush off the corner. And he's very good at setting the edge against the run."

The Bucs, who went 10-7 and won the NFC South before losing to the Commanders in the playoffs, could use some help on the edge. Scourton, who had 10 sacks at Purdue in 2023, is a proven producer who can help them get after the quarterback as they look to maintain their grip on the division.