Chicago Bears NFL Draft Target: Shemar Stewart

Kirby Lee - USA Today Sports

Dustin Riese - Senior Writer - 1 day ago

As we inch closer to the NFL draft, more conversations will be had about what the Chicago Bears should do with their first-round pick. Not long ago, it seemed nearly a guarantee that they would pursue an offensive lineman with that pick to shore up their offensive line.

While that still could be the case based on who is available, it's not as big of a need as it once was, as the Bears made three major splashes this offseason to improve the interior portion of their offensive line. Now, the question arises about how much depth they would like to add behind those guys and where that depth comes from.

Adding depth in the draft seems like a great start, but with so much talent on the offensive line, the Bears should be able to find several key pieces in round two. Knowing that the No. 10 pick becomes one of the more significant questions in this year's draft, as the Bears will have a unique opportunity to take the best player available and potentially a player who fits another need.

Could that be Ashton Jeanty?

Possibly, but the Bears have bigger needs than finding a running back with their most significant remaining need coming on the defense. For the better part of three seasons, the Bears have struggled to get after the quarterback, and that was once again the case last season. Ryan Poles has already addressed that with a pair of moves this offseason, but the Bears are actively still looking for pass-rushing help, which could come in the form of the 10th overall pick.

Mykell Williams has already been named as a possible option for the Bears, but given his upside as a player, he could wind up being in the top six. Should that happen, look for Texas A&M edge rusher Shemar Stewart to be an option, as he is not only one of the better prospects, but one filled with tons of upside.

What makes Stewart unique is that he isn't just a scheme-specific player who needs to be in the right system to be successful. Instead, he is what you call a scheme-versatile player who is capable of adjusting to several different schemes. From an athletic build, he has as much of an upside as anyone in this class, but he still lacks consistency on the field and is continuing to learn how to win his 1v1 battles.

His lack of production throughout his college career speaks to the lack of refinement in his game. Still, he is built like a future NFL player, which is why he could find himself as a high-upside reach as opposed to his projected day two billing that he is currently getting. When you talk about freak athletes, Stewart is the type of player that comes to mind. He checks in at 6’5 ", 267 lbs, and runs a 4.59 40.

That puts him in the conversation as one of the fastest, if not the fastest edge rusher in the game and is a massive reason why he creates a ton of match up issues for opposing offenses. He is the type of player that every dreams of working with as his potential alone makes him the blank canvas teams can design a defense around.

However, as is the case with every prospect, there are some red flags that come with you, and when it comes to Stewart, he has arguably the biggest red flag, or should we say the biggest question mark of all the prospects. Anytime you see a player built like Stewart and having the athletic makeup he has, you often look at the type of production he brings to the table.

Not only did Stewart not have a ton of production, but he lacked production to the point where it almost felt like he wasn't on the field at times. In three years as a contributor/starter at Texas A&M, Stewart recorded just 4.0 sacks—not 4.0 sacks per season, but 4.0 sacks total in 37 career games.

Playing in the SEC and knowing the competition that conference has could be a reason for his lack of production, but the NFL isn't going to be any easier for him. The more concerning part of that lack of production is that he never had more than 1.5 sacks in a season. How does a player that talented not find a way to even get that in one game?

Those are some of the questions the Bears will not only have to ask, but they will have to find out before they consider taking him. Either way, Dennis Allen is a guy who can get the most out of a player like Stewart, and with the high-motor he has, paired with the creativity of Allen, it is an excellent fit for both sides.