With Ben Johnson becoming the Chicago Bears next head coach, many have been focusing on the team’s growing offense. However, it’s clear that the Bears need help on the defensive side as well if they want to become true contenders.
Holding the No. 10 overall pick, Chicago is in a premier position to land one of the top pass rushers in the class. While they already have Montez Sweat locked in on one side, the Bears are trying to find some extra firepower next to him. The 2025 class is deep with versatile edge rushers ready to wreak havoc in opposing team’s backfields.
One of those prospects in Texas A&M’s Shemar Stewart. He has impressed with his athleticism and explosiveness throughout the pre-draft process. In turn, the Bears have made an impression on Stewart as he considers his NFL future, via CHGO Bears.
“I would love to,” Stewart said of being drafted at No. 10. “The coaching staff is great. I’d have the opportunity to learn behind some great players. It’d be a great situation for me.”
Stewart went on to praise Chicago’s facilities while saying he saw an intense look in Johnson’s eyes.
Shemar Stewart praises the Bears coaching staff and players, says “it would be a great situation [for him].”
Stewart also noted the Bears facilities are tied with Dallas for first👀 pic.twitter.com/jzZwGtQoZk
— CHGO Bears (@CHGO_Bears) April 23, 2025
What Shemar Stewart offers Chicago Bears
Stewart spent three years at Texas A&M, appearing in 37 games. He racked up 65 tackles, 12 coming for a loss and 4.5 sacks. Overall, his numbers don’t jump off the page and he doesn’t have the accolades that most top 10 picks do.
However, where Stewart wins is with his quickness of the edge. There aren’t many that provide that burst he does. The edge rusher further demonstrated the fact by dominating the NFL scouting combine. Both his 4.59 40-yard dash and 40″ vertical jump had scouts’ eyebrows raised. Furthermore, it helped Stewart earn a comparison to current New York Giants defensive end Roy Robertson-Harris by Lance Zierlein of NFL.com.
“Stewart is carved from granite, possessing a rare blend of traits, explosiveness and untapped upside. He’s long and sudden off the snap but hasn’t learned to weaponize his hands to control the point of attack and bypass protection with go-to moves,” Zierlein wrote. “His bull-rush compresses the pocket off the edge, and he’s too athletic for guards when reduced inside.”
“He can be very disruptive in both phases but requires additional training to start converting his opportunities into finishes,” Zierlein continued. “The lack of production relative to the traits is a concern; still, players who move like him are highly coveted. While the boom-or-bust label might be in play, it feels like a matter of time before it all starts to click at a high level.”
Drafting Stewart at No. 10 comes with a bit of risk. He isn’t a refined prospect and it may take some time for him to make a consistent impact at the NFL level. But if Stewart develops into Chicago’s vision, they would have a dominant force off the edge.
General manager Ryan Poles know how important the 2025 NFL Draft is and he doesn’t want to make mistakes. If he were to write Stewart’s name down at No. 10, he would be confident that he would eventually become a focal point of the team’s defense.
Bears pass rush
Chicago finished the 2024 campaign with 40 sacks, which put them in the middle of the pack overall but behind some of their biggest competition in the Minnesota Vikings and Green Bay Packers. If the Bears want to compete in the NFC North, they need to be more disruptive defensively.
Sweat is still expected to lead the charge. He led the team in sacks during the 2024 campaign, however, that meant just 5.5. Chicago knows the edge rusher brings a lot more to the table. One of new defensive coordinator Dennis Allen’s main objectives will be unlocking Sweat.
Helping him will be new pass rusher Dayo Odeyingbo, who the Bears signed to a three-year, $48 million contract. He racked up 16.5 sacks and 46 quarterback hits over his four years with the Indianapolis Colts. Odeyingbo put up eight sacks in 2023 and is coming off back-to-back 17 quarterback hit campaigns.
With Odeyingbo blazing into the pocket on the other side, teams can no longer focus on Sweat. He’d be given more room to operate and more opportunities to win one-on-one matchups. Overall, Chicago’s defensive pressure would be much more dynamic, posing a scarier threat for any quarterback.
Adding Stewart to the mix would only exacerbate that fact. He would likely play behind Stewart and Odeyingbo to start, but he would be a bull in a China shop whenever on the gridiron. Stewart developing into a consistent pass rusher next to Sweat, with Odeyingbo disrupting from the interior would give the Bears one of the most fearsome defensive line in the NFL for the foreseeable future. But is Chicago willing to take the risk on Stewart at No. 10?
NFL Draft 2025: Chicago Bears potential perfect trade-up partner revealed
Read MoreFor More Great Chicago Sports Content
Get the latest Chicago sports news, analysis, and breaking stories on the Bears, Bulls, Blackhawks, Cubs, White Sox, Sky, and more! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News, so you never miss a story on your favorite Chicago teams.
Follow us on Twitter at @chicitysports23 for more great content. We appreciate you taking time to read our articles. To interact more with our community and keep up to date on the latest in Chicago sports news, JOIN OUR FREE FACEBOOK GROUP by CLICKING HERE
