Aug 31, 2024; College Station, Texas, USA; Texas A&M Aggies defensive lineman Shemar Stewart (4) attempts to block the kicks during the second quarter against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images

Mulitple Texas A&M Aggies Make Mel Kiper's Final NFL Draft Big Board

Originally posted on Texas A&M Aggies on SI
By Harrison Reno | Last updated Apr 22, 2025 12:04 PM ET

The wait is almost over. NFL Draft week is finally here, as the three-day event will kickoff in Green Bay, Wisconsin, on Thursday where it is largely expected Texas A&M edge rusher Shemar Stewart will walk across the shake to shake hands with the comissioner Roger Goodell at some point in the night.

The former five-star, who came out of high school in Opa Locka, Florida, has become a consensus first-round projection since declaring for the draft. That is despite there being a lot of debate surrounding his production, or rather, the lack thereof.

Yet, just like in the mock drafts, the lack of production hasn't played a factor in his evaluations from media talent evaluators. This includes ESPN's long-time draft analyst Mel Kiper, who in his final big board rankings ahead of Thursday's draft ranked Stewart as the No. 27 best prospect.

This ranking does put him behind other fellow edge rushers like Abdul Carter, Jalon Walker, Mike Green, Donovan Ezeiruaku, and Mykel Williams. However, Stewart is classified differently position-wise than those names ranked above him overall.

Kiper has Stewart as the No. 1 defensive end, which puts him above other notable names like Louisville's Ashton Gillotte, Ohio State's JT Tuimoloau, and even his Texas A&M teammate Nic Scourton.

Scourton, the former Purdue transfer, ranks No. 58 overall according to Kiper. Meanwhile, he ranks as the No. 4 defensive end.

Since his performance at the NFL Scouting Combine, Stewart has seen his stock go as high as the top-10 in mock drafts. That is despite the fact that he finished his three-year career at Texas A&M with just 4.5 sacks.

However, mock drafts - including Kiper - have indicated that NFL teams are willing to look past that after he ran a 4.59-second 40-yard-dash time, while showing off his 40" vertical jump, and 10' 11" broad jump in Indianapolis.

Shemar Turner and Jahdae Walker are the only other Aggies players included in the rankings. The defensive tackle ranks No. 75 by Kiper overall, while Walker is No. 84.

This article first appeared on Texas A&M Aggies on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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