The Cincinnati Bengals earned a variety of grades and reactions by selecting Shemar Stewart with the No. 17 pick in the 2025 NFL draft. Similarly, what draft experts and scouts had to say about Stewart even before the NFL draft itself is just as mixed.

The Bengals selected Texas A&M defensive end Shemar Stewart in the first round (17th overall) of the 2025 NFL Draft. Stewart comes in at a humongous 6’5” 267 pounds with out of this world athleticism. He posted a 10.0 relative athletic score, which is the best in NFL Combine history. It’s worth noting that he did not perform his agility drills.