As uncertainty looms over the Trey Hendrickson situation, the Bengals have added to their edge rush in the first round. Cincinnati has selected Texas A&M defensive end Shemar Stewart with the 17th pick. Stewart will be the latest experiment we see of a player with more potential than production at the collegiate level, and the Bengals need that potential to pan out. 
A 25th-ranked defense in Cincinnati, highlighted by a pass rush that finished with the eighth-fewest sacks in the league last year, was a huge reason that the team missed the playoffs while players like Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase has all-time great seasons. As Hendrickson’s future remains up in the air, Stewart’s development becomes a crucial component of the team’s success in the future.
Stewart, a former five-star recruit, failed to ever live up to his recruiting status in College Station. Over his three years at Texas A&M, Stewart didn’t become a full-time starter until 2024. Despite leading the Aggies in pressures (39) last year, he struggled to finish throughout his career, staying off the stat sheet for the most part. He totaled only 4.5 sacks in his three seasons of play, adding only 11.0 tackles for loss over that time.
New defensive coordinator Al Golden will need to tap into the potential Stewart has stored and will need to so quickly. Stewart will be expected to line up across from Hendrickson, for now. Should Hendrickson depart in any sort of fashion, Stewart will be expected to lead the edge rushing group. He’ll need to display that five-star, first-round potential as soon as possible in Cincinnati.
Ely Allen contributed to this post.