Texas A&M Star a Bad Fit For Raiders?

The Las Vegas Raiders have seen scarce projections regarding a defensive player with the No. 6 overall pick in the upcoming NFL Draft.

Shedeur Sanders, Ashton Jeanty, and Tetairoa McMillan have garnered the most attention by the media as potential Raiders draft picks.

Texas A&M edge rusher Shemar Stewart? Hardly. Yet Pro Football Focus' Dalton Wasserman has named the Aggies standout the worst fit for the Raiders in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft.

"The Raiders are set on the edge with Maxx Crosby, Malcolm Koonce and 2023 first-round pick Tyree Wilson," wrote Wasserman. "Stewart is a high-upside prospect, but he mirrors Wilson as a raw player who still needs development. Expect Las Vegas to add an offensive playmaker or upgrade the secondary with this pick."

Yes, the Raiders have the three aforementioned players. But if they were to feel Stewart is the best player available, which is what head coach Pete Carroll and general manager John Spytek will likely be looking for -- who's to say they can't make that selection?

Stewart talked about Crosby at the NFL Combine, sharing what seemed like a reverence for the All-Pro Raiders veteran.

"He just creates a play like ... people may not see him as the most athletic guy, but he's the most technical guy and that's why he's had so much success," said Stewart.

Stewart himself is quite the playmaker. Many around the league believe he will be a first-round selection, and for good reason: the 6-foot-4, 270-pound pass rusher is an explosive athlete with his own fair share of techniques.

NFL Next Gen Stats graded him as the fourth-most athletic defensive end/edge rusher in at the NFL Combine. He ran a 4.59 40-yard dash, coupled with an impressive 1.58 10-yard split, highlighting excellenet get-off and burst. NFL Draft analyst Lance Zierlein was favorable in his evaluation.

"Stewart is carved from granite, possessing a rare blend of traits, explosiveness and untapped upside," wrote Zierlein. "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."

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