Texas AM defensive lineman Shemar Stewart participates in drills during the 2025 NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Panthers predicted to snag ferocious NFL draft prospect to replace Jadeveon Clowney

Originally posted on Carolina Panthers on SI
By Randy Gurzi | Last updated Mar 3, 2025 11:32 AM ET

The Carolina Panthers began to show promise on offense near the end of the 2024 season. That was largely due to the progress Bryce Young made as the second-year quarterback responded well to being benched earlier in the season. However, their defense showed no signs of improvement.

They had a historically bad season on that side of the ball and much of that was due to their inability to rush the passer. Veteran Jadeveon Clowney led the team with 5.5 sacks but at 32 years old — and entering the final year of his contract — he’s not the long-term answer.

Carolina could potentially find that answer in the 2025 NFL Draft with Luke Easterling predicting they tab Shemar Stewart as their next defensive building block. In his latest mock draft for Athlon Sports, Easterling has the Panthers selecting Texas A&M defensive end Shemar Stewart at No. 8 overall.

”Stewart lived up to the hype with an incredible combine performance, and his athletic ceiling could get him into the top 10 despite a lack of production in college.” — Easterling, Athlon Sports

Stewart is built for the position at 6-foot-5 and 267 pounds. He plays with a mean streak that could prove contagious for the Panthers and disruptive to the opponent’s game plans.

The knock on Stewart is that he’s considered raw, with just 4.5 sacks during his collegiate career. Even so, he was a star during the NFL Combine, raising his stock higher than ever.

Landing in Carolina would be as much of a win for him as it would the Panthers. He could spend his rookie season working alongside Clowney, before taking over the following year.

This article first appeared on Carolina Panthers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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