The Cincinnati Bengals had plenty of notable options when they walked to the podium in the first round of the 2025 NFL draft and went with Texas A&M DE Shemar Stewart at No. 17 overall, Chris Roling of the team's official website reports.

Stewart, 6'5" and 267 pounds, was plainly near the top of Cincinnati's board when they got on the clock and is a natural fit for a team that lost Sam Hubbard to free agency and wants to undergo a youth movement on that side of the ball.

While Stewart only had 4.5 sacks over three seasons in college, his scheme versatility and apparent upside made him an obvious choice. He'll join up-and-coming players like Joseph Ossai and Kris Jenkins Jr. as key pieces of the rotation and rebuild -- no matter what happens with Trey Hendrickson.

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