Josaiah Stewart came to Michigan as a transfer from Coastal Carolina with a perception of being undersized with many questioning his ability to play meaningful snaps for the Wolverines. Stewart not only silenced doubters during his two years at Michigan, he also boosted his draft stock greatly. Stewart tallied 30 sacks in four collegiate seasons with 14 of those coming at Michigan.
NFL Combine measurements (didn’t appear in drills)
Height: 6-1
Weight: 249
Pros
- Can convert speed-to-power
- Does have a bull rush in his arsenal
- Knows how to get under the pads and use leverage at 6-foot-1
- Has the ability to play zone-coverage
- Was nicknamed “Tasmanian Devil” at Coastal Carolina because of his relentlessness and aggressiveness as a pass-rusher
Cons
- He’ll have to prove once again at the NFL level that he isn’t undersized for an edge-rusher
- Inconsistent setting the edge in run support
- Could wind up being a rotational player as opposed to being a full-fledged starter
Do your homework
Converting speed-to-power with leverage
Flying in for a sack
Very intrigued with the skill-set of Michigan EDGE 0 Josaiah Stewart. Explosive with a great club-rip from him to bring the QB down. Will be watching him closely in Mobile at the @seniorbowl pic.twitter.com/vzrcZf7aZc
— Russell Brown (@RussNFLDraft) January 16, 2025
Stewart shows his relentlessness with a strip sack against Michigan State
A chip block that didn’t phase Stewart
Conclusion
Before the season Stewart was perceived as a day-three pick at most, but with more of a sample size to add to his resume in 2024, Stewart’s draft stock has ascended to where he’s likely a third or fourth-round selection. Some teams will be scared off by Stewart’s size, while others will evaluate Stewart’s film and see that he isn’t the typical 6-foot-1 edge-rusher. Stewart isn’t a one-trick pony that wins with speed alone — there’s power in his arsenal as well as tenacity. More NFL teams are using a rotation at edge-rusher than ever before and even if Stewart doesn’t become a starter he could still be a major contributor on defense. Stewart’s game film was often excellent in 2024 and if he can have the pass-rush win-rate in the NFL it’ll mean he’ll become one of the steals of the 2025 NFL Draft.
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