The Green Bay Packers have one of the youngest rosters in the league and regularly builds their team through the NFL Draft and smaller moves in free agency.
Well, one recent NFL mock draft sees that trend continuing with the Packers landing one of the standout defensive line prospects from the NFL Combine.
Shemar Stewart Lands with Packers in Latest Mock Draft
NFL.com’s Bucky Brooks has a clear vision for the Packers approach in the upcoming NFL Draft, which is to continue to select players with great athletic traits and help develop them into future stars.
Brooks wrote, “The Packers have assembled a blue-chip defense by acquiring talented, developmental prospects with early picks. Stewart is a work in progress as a playmaker, but his prototypical size and tools could make him an ideal pick for a team that specializes in drafting and developing high-end athletes.”
It is entirely possible Brooks is referring to players like Quay Walker, Lukas Van Ness, Edgerrin Cooper as recent examples of these athletic prospects — which have all found a way to contribute early in their careers.
Texas A&M defensive lineman Shemar Stewart would simply be another athletic addition to a unit up front that took a nice leap forward on the defensive side of the football in 2024.
Stewart is an imposing prospect at 6’5” 267 pounds with ample arm length. What is even more enticing is the explosive athleticism he put on display at the NFL Combine, where he ran the 40-yard dash in 4.59 seconds to go with great performances in both the vertical (40”) and broad jump (10’11”) that ranked amongst the best in his class.
One gripe about Stewart is his 2024 production didn’t quite mirror the impressive physical profile with just 3.5 sacks last season. Does this mean he won’t be a sack producer at the next level? Certainly not, but it does bring his tape slightly into question for a player who has first-round talent.
How Would Stewart Fit in this Green Bay Defense?
The Packers’ defensive unit up front may not feature one of the league’s top edge rushers, but did manage to generate 45 sacks last year.
Rashan Gary led the team with 7.5 sacks while Devonte Wyatt, Kingsley Enagbare, and Brenton Cox Jr. all tallied 4+ sacks too.
Stewart would likely slide right into that rotation alongside Van Ness, Enagbare, Cox Jr., and Gary because of his alignment versatility and effectiveness as a run defender.
The Packers’ defense also saw some encouraging flashes from Cooper, Isaiah McDuffie (who the team recently resigned), and Ty’Ron Hopper along the front seven group throughout last season.
Defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley could get very creative with a versatile player like Stewart along the defensive line unit and could even help elevate this defense, which finished as a top 10 unit against both opposing passing and rushing attacks in 2024.
The Packers currently possess the No. 23 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft and are projected to have over $40 million worth of cap space available entering this offseason.
Depending on how the situation plays out with Jaire Alexander, Green Bay may have some issues to address at the cornerback position. Yet, Stewart’s upside with a top tier athletic profile could certainly warrant serious consideration if he is available when the Packers are on the clock in the first round later this year.
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