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2025 NFL Draft: Chicago Bears schedule top 30 visit with controversial first-round prospect

The Chicago Bears' latest top 30 visit could offer a clue to their first-round intentions for the 2025 NFL Draft.
Bryan Perez|
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Time is ticking away for NFL general managers to gather as much intel on the pool of prospects for the 2025 NFL Draft. For the Chicago Bears, that means finishing top 30 visits for potential first-round picks with questions that need answering.

One of those high-ceiling first-round prospects is Texas A&M edge rusher Shemar Stewart, who will meet with the Bears after visits with the New England Patriots and San Francisco 49ers.

Stewart is a fantastic case study for the NFL Draft. He looks like he was built in a lab to play defensive end in the NFL at 6-foot-5 and 267 pounds. He ran a remarkable 4.59 40-yard dash, jumped an incredible 40 inches in the vertical jump, and nearly leapt 11 feet in the broad jump.

Simply put, Stewart is a freak.

Then comes his box score. Stewart managed only 4.5 sacks in three seasons at Texas A&M (1.5 sacks in each of the last three years). It's a bewildering lack of production for a player with such elite traits, and it will force NFL general managers to challenge their fundamental draft theories.

If a draft prospect doesn't produce (at all) in college, can you really have faith that he'll flip the switch in the NFL?

Stewart's film suggests he can flip that switch. Sure, he didn't "finish plays" as often as a first-rounder should, but his twitch and power were evident on film. He just needs to land in a situation like Chicago, where he can learn from a mentor like Montez Sweat and under the tutelage of defensive coordinator Dennis Allen.

"Stewart is carved from granite, possessing a rare blend of traits, explosiveness and untapped upside," NFL Network's Lance Zierlein wrote in his scouting report. "He’s long and sudden off the snap but hasn’t learned to weaponize his hands to control the point of attack and bypass protection with go-to moves. His bull-rush compresses the pocket off the edge, and he’s too athletic for guards when reduced inside. He can be very disruptive in both phases but requires additional training to start converting his opportunities into finishes. The lack of production relative to the traits is a concern; still, players who move like him are highly coveted. While the boom-or-bust label might be in play, it feels like a matter of time before it all starts to click at a high level."

Remember Stewart's name, Bears fans. He could be a shocking first-round pick by Poles because of his rare combination of traits. If Chicago believes they have an elite coaching staff, a player like Stewart will rank high on their draft board because of the things he has that can't be coached; you either have them or you don't.

Stewart has them, and he has the attention of the Chicago Bears.

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Bryan Perez
BRYAN PEREZ

Bryan Perez founded and operated Bears Talk, a Chicago sports blog. Prior to that, he covered the Bears for USA Today’s Bears Wire and NBC Sports Chicago. In addition to his Chicago Bears coverage, Perez is a respected member of NFL Draft media and was a past winner of The Huddle's Mock Draft competition. Bryan's past life includes time as a Northeast scout for the CFL's Ottawa Redblacks.

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