The Kansas City Chiefs need a pass rush specialist capable of complementing Chris Jones’ All-Pro production. General manager Brett Veach’s options in the 2025 NFL draft are plentiful, but one of Michigan’s star defenders stands out as a good candidate.
Josaiah Stewart is an undersized rusher who won’t meet many of the NFL’s thresholds. He’s a total outlier, which could make him available for Kansas City in the third or fourth round. Despite his physical limitations, Stewart is one of college football’s most dominant pass rushers.
Stewart explodes off the line with rare acceleration and burst that put offensive tackles at a disadvantage. He changes directions quickly to attack the B-gap or soften the tackle’s outside shoulder. His pass rush plan includes cross-chops, rips, swims, two-handed swipes, and converting speed to power.
Josaiah Stewart (No. 0) is undersized, but he set records at Coastal Carolina and has been Michigan’s most efficient (and arguably impactful) pass rusher since arriving in Ann Arbor. Stewart took it to USC yesterday. #NFLDraft #NFLDraft2025 #2025NFLDraft pic.twitter.com/8tRJzIxQUV
— Sam Teets (@Sam_Teets33) September 22, 2024
Stewart possesses the power to pry open the B-gap and the bend to flatten his rush angle around the edge. His relentless pursuit and impressive open-field speed give quarterbacks nightmares.
Stewart’s motor and surprising play strength make him a surprisingly effective run defender. He’s a menace hunting down ball carriers as a backside defender and sets a firm edge on the front side of runs. Stewart uses a long-arm to stack blockers who outweigh him by more than 70 lbs. and quickly separates to pursue the ball.
Michigan goes on the road to face 10-1 Ohio State at 11 a.m. CST on Saturday. The Buckeyes are No. 2 in the most recent College Football Playoff rankings.
