Shemar Stewart is a Bengal now.
The former Spartan, a 2022 graduate of Monsignor Edward Pace High School, was the Cincinnati Bengals’ choice on April 24 during the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft held in Green Bay, WI.
“Just know I’m coming,” Stewart said that night. “I’m happy, I’m excited.”
Stewart, 21, entered the draft after completing his junior season at Texas A&M.
He is 6 feet, 5 inches tall, weighs 267 pounds and can run the 40-yard dash in 4.59 seconds, according to the NFL.
He will play as a defensive end, tasked with tackling quarterbacks and ball carriers.
Bengals’ Defensive Coordinator Al Golden -- head football coach at the University of Miami from 2011-2015 who has returned to the NFL after coaching at Notre Dame last season -- will coach him.
“Shemar was always a force on the field, but what set him apart was his commitment off the field -- his leadership, humanity and love for his school and teammates,” Tom Duffin, athletic director at Pace, said in a media release. “We knew he was something special.”
Added Melanie Otero, dean of academics at Pace, “This is a moment not just for Shemar and his family but for the entire Pace community. He’s a living example of what faith, discipline and perseverance can achieve.”