Shemar Stewart set to receive major payday as Bengals' first-round NFL Draft choice

The former Aggie DL will be the beneficiary of all that comes with his high draft selection by the Bengals.
Cincinnati Bengals first-round draft pick Shemar Stewart, left, and head coach Zac Taylor, right, pose together ahead of a press conference, Friday, April 25, 2025, at Paycor Stadium in Downtown Cincinnati.
Cincinnati Bengals first-round draft pick Shemar Stewart, left, and head coach Zac Taylor, right, pose together ahead of a press conference, Friday, April 25, 2025, at Paycor Stadium in Downtown Cincinnati. | Frank Bowen IV/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

One of the most athletic players on last year's Texas A&M football team, Shemar Stewart, has found his NFL home with the Cincinnati Bengals. Stewart joins Aggie head coach Zac Taylor up in Cincy as the Bengals look to replace contributors like Trey Hendrickson along the defensive line.

Given that Stewart was the top selection for the Bengals, this was a win for Aggie fans and the A&M program in general. Desptie not putting up huge numbers on the field during college, Stewart's testing was hard to ignore, and he looks to continue to grow into himself as he enters the league.

There is one place that Stewart now has a huge number locked in, however, and that's in his contract. Details have now been released about Stewart's rookie deal, and the numbers are eyebrow-raising.

Shemar Stewart gets massive payday as Cincinnati Bengals first-round pick

Stewart's total contract value over his four-year term with the Bengals is nearly $19MM. While none of it is guaranteed, that's some pretty exciting value for the young first-rounder.

Stewart becomes the latest in a long line of A&M players to register big earnings from the NFL. Myles Garrett just signed a massive contract with the Bengals' in-division rival, the Cleveland Browns, this offseason, and players like Mike Evans and Von Miller have been earnings machines for quite some time by now.

Hopefully, Stewart will have the chance to snag an even bigger second contract before long. He has the ability to make that decision to re-sign a no-brainer for the Bengals if he lives up to his potential, and he may have landed in the perfect spot to do so.