How Risky Was Bengals' First-Round Pick?

The Cincinnati Bengals have found themselves in the crosshairs of the football world in recent months.

First, the Bengals lost goodwill with the fanbase by wasting an incredible season from Joe Burrow with an untenable defensive performance. They then stalled on the extensions for receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, although that was eventually rectified. Edge rusher Trey Hendrickson, the lone superstar on the porous defense, has yet to receive his extension, putting the entire unit in doubt.

The Bengals didn’t do themselves any favors (in terms of public perception) in the NFL Draft, with a haul that was graded among the worst in the NFL.

Cincinnati’s class began with Texas A&M edge rusher Shemar Stewart, who fans have every right to be excited about. He’s an impressive prospect with ludicrous upside. But he’s also the most polarizing edge rusher in his class, and that landed the Bengals rookie among Sports Illustrated’s AFC bust candidates.

“Stewart is a freak of an athlete. At 6' 5" and 267 pounds, Stewart torched the scouting combine with a 4.59 40 time,” Matt Verderame wrote. “However, the question surrounding Stewart throughout his three years with the Aggies is: Where has the production been?”

“Stewart played 37 games in College Station and notched just 12 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks,” Verderame continued. “If the traits can turn into numbers and impact, the Bengals should be thrilled about landing Stewart at pick No. 17. However, if he continues to struggle finding results despite obvious talent, Cincinnati could be wondering why it didn’t grab a more polished defender at such a premium spot.”

Stewart’s production is his biggest question mark and a fair concern. But he was also burdened by Texas A&M’s surf technique, among other quirks that didn’t lend itself to production.

What fans can take solace in is that Stewart’s run defense is a much safer projection than his pass rushing. This helps keep Cincinnati in favorable situations, allowing for Hendrickson (should he return) to tee off and for Stewart to find opportunities to pin his ears back and put his athleticism to the test.

Stewart, from a pure pass-rushing perspective, is a real risk. However, his upside is just as tantalizing, and his run defense elevates his floor, making him a better bet than his college production would suggest.