The Cincinnati Bengals’ choice of Shemar Stewart with the 17th overall pick in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft drew mixed reactions.
Though Stewart created a solid 39 pressures last year, he ended the 2024 season with just 1.5 sacks. His college career totals only 4.5 sacks.
Still, the Bengals decided he was worth a first-round investment, and according to Mike Payton of A to Z Sports, they weren’t the only team intrigued by Stewart’s upside.
Payton believes the Detroit Lions attempted to move up in the draft order to secure Stewart before Cincinnati snagged him.
“I think the Lions tried to trade up for Texas A&M edge rusher Shemar Stewart on Thursday night,” Payton wrote, citing remarks from Lions GM Brad Holmes on Day 2. “I won’t get into details, but we made efforts to go up, and guys just got taken before we could. It takes two parties to make a deal.”
Pre-draft visits are usually strong indicators of a team’s interest, and Payton thinks the Lions’ meetings back this up.
“So there’s the evidence the Lions tried to move up for someone. Why assume it was Stewart?” Payton asked. “It all points to the top 30 visits. Detroit loves drafting players they bring in. Isaac TeSlaa and Tyleik Williams show that. We’ll probably learn they hosted Tate Ratledge and Miles Frazier, too. Of three edge rushers hosted, only Stewart was a projected first-rounder. He went 17th to the Bengals.”
Some projected Stewart to go in the top 15 — several mock drafts even placed him in the top 10 — so hearing another team wanted him isn’t surprising. Now, Stewart will aim to deliver in Cincinnati.
