After a prolific year off the edge for Michigan, Josaiah Stewart is reaping the benefits.
The all-Big Ten edge rusher was picked by the Los Angeles Rams in the third round, pick No. 90, on Friday, the latest in a long line of Wolverines to hear their names called in the 2025 NFL draft.
Stewart follows defensive tackles Mason Graham and Kenneth Grant, picked No. 5 (Browns) and No. 13 (Dolphins) respectively, tight end Colston Loveland at No. 10 (Bears) and cornerback Will Johnson, who slipped into the second round (No. 47, Cardinals).
His selection marks the seventh straight year Michigan has had an edge rusher drafted into the NFL.
Stewart played two seasons for the maize and blue, earning full-time starter status in 2024, when he led the team in tackles for loss (13.5), sacks (8.5) and quarterback hurries (7) en route to second-team all-conference honors.
His play on the field was so respected that Stewart, a transfer from Coastal Carolina ahead of the 2023 season, was elevated to team captain during the season.
Stewart arrived at Michigan as an undersized edge rusher with a stat-stuffing resume at Coastal Carolina, where he set the single-season program record for sacks (12.5) and was named to the freshman All-American team in 2021.
Listed at 6-foot-1 and 249 pounds, Stewart is on the smaller side of your typical edge rushers. He’ll face an uphill battle at the NFL level because of it. But his speed and technique more than made up for it in college, where he bullied offensive tackles who got too light on their feet.
This year, Stewart had multi-sack games against Fresno State, Southern Cal and Northwestern, along with forcing strip-sack fumbles in the loss to USC and win over in-state rival Michigan State.
A former three-star recruit from the Bronx, N.Y., Stewart starred at Everett High School in Massachusetts, where he was teammates with former Michigan star and Washington Commanders defensive back Mike Sainristil.
It was Sainristil who tipped Michigan off to Stewart, leading to the switch that ultimately paid off.
Not only did Stewart win a national championship in 2023, he was able to translate his high motor and stat-stuffing ways to the highest levels of college football.
And now he’s off to the NFL.
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