The Cincinnati Bengals drafted Shemar Stewart 17th overall in the 2025 NFL Draft, but months later, he still hasn’t signed his rookie contract. Wild rumors started swirling that the former Texas A&M star might actually return to college football for his senior season. Those whispers just got louder when reports surfaced that Stewart has been working out with his old team while waiting for his NFL deal to get done.
What Did Mike Elko Say About Shemar Stewart’s Return?
Shemar Stewart spent three seasons dominating for the Texas A&M Aggies before declaring for the 2025 NFL Draft after his junior year. The Cincinnati Bengals saw enough to make him the No. 17 overall pick, but Stewart still hasn’t signed his rookie deal with the team.
This contract delay sparked rumors about a potential loophole that could allow Stewart to return to the Aggies if he doesn’t sign with Cincinnati and instead reenters the 2026 NFL Draft. The speculation reached a fever pitch when Bud Elliott, host of the “Cover 3” podcast, revealed Tuesday that Stewart has been fully involved in Texas A&M’s team workouts and activities while waiting for the Bengals to finalize his contract.
However, those rumors got crushed at the 2025 SEC Media Days when Texas A&M head coach Mike Elko addressed the situation directly.
Texas A&M head coach Mike Elko on if there was a chance DE Shemar Stewart could return to the Aggies:
“Zero chance that could ever be considered.”
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“Zero chance that could ever be considered,” Elko said about Stewart’s potential return. That’s about as definitive as it gets.
Would the NCAA Have Allowed Stewart to Return?
But let’s say Elko was actually on board with Stewart leaving the Bengals and returning to the Aggies for his senior season. Would the NCAA have allowed it?
According to NFL analyst Mike Florio, Stewart could theoretically return to College Station. Florio points out that the NFL Collective Bargaining Agreement contains a provision that allows college football players to refuse to sign until the following draft and then reenter that draft’s pool.
“Third, he can refuse to sign at all until the 2026 draft begins,” Florio wrote. “At that point, he’d re-enter the draft pool. During the 2026 draft, he could be drafted by any team except the Bengals.”
While the move might be possible under NFL rules, it’s a different story with the NCAA. According to Daniel Mader, a content producer for The Sporting News, Stewart would have to take legal action to make this happen.
“However, there are NCAA rules that forbid players from returning to college after they’ve been drafted,” Mader wrote. “Unless Stewart took legal action, potentially challenging those eligibility rules regarding the draft.”
Florio agrees with Mader but points out that NCAA rules have often been challenged by federal antitrust laws, which might make it easier for Stewart to return to school than many expect.
“Yes, NCAA rules would prevent a return, now that Stewart has been drafted,” Florio wrote. “But many NCAA rules have failed under the weight of the federal antitrust laws. Why shouldn’t a player who has never taken an NFL paycheck or signed an NFL contract be prevented from going back to school?”
The situation remains complex and evolving, and the NCAA likely would have blocked Stewart’s return anyway. But Elko’s statement provides clear finality to all the speculation.
