Steelers bring in Texas A&M edge rusher, potential 1st round pick Shemar Stewart for visit

First-round draft prospect Shemar Stewart was one of three players hosted by the Steelers on Friday for official top-30 visits at UPMC Rooney Sports Complex.

Stewart is a 6-foot-5, 267-pound prospect from Texas A&M. Scouts differ on whether Stewart’s future is on the defensive line or outside linebacker. The Steelers listed him as an outside linebacker for his visit.

The Steelers haven’t taken an outside linebacker in the first round since they drafted T.J. Watt, who is entering the final year of his contract, in 2017.

Also visiting the Steelers on Friday were Kansas State running back DJ Giddens and SMU defensive tackle Jared Harrison-Hunte.

Stewart left school after his junior season at Texas A&M. He started 12 games last season and totaled 31 tackles, including 5.5 for a loss, and 1.5 sacks. He also broke up two passes and had a forced fumble.

At the NFL Combine, Stewart ran the 40-yard dash in 4.59 seconds. He is projected to be taken in the bottom half of the first round in the draft. The Steelers hold the No. 21 overall pick.

A redshirt junior, Giddens (6-foot, 212 pounds) is viewed as a mid-round pick. He led Kansas State in rushing last year with 1,343 yards and tied for the team lead with seven rushing touchdowns. He averaged 6.55 yards per carry, beating Darren Sproles’ mark of 6.49 in 2003 while setting a school record. The previous season, he had 1,226 rushing yards.

Giddens also showed he could help the backfield by catching 21 passes for 258 yards. He ran the 40 in 4.43 seconds at the combine.

Harrison-Hunte (6-3, 290 pounds) took advantage of extra eligibility provided by the pandemic and spent six seasons in college, the first five at Miami. Transferring to SMU in 2024, he became a first-time ACC performer with 42 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks. He previously made 22 starts at Miami and had two sacks apiece in the 2022-23 seasons.

The Steelers have used 24 of their allotted 30 visits with more scheduled next week. The team has used seven spots on defensive linemen (not counting Stewart) and six on running backs.