Yes, Shemar Stewart legally could return to college in 2025—but it’s a highly complicated and unlikely path, and there are rumors swirling.
According to a post online, the Bengals first round pick is not with the team, he is actually at Texas A&M practicing with A&M.
𝗥𝗨𝗠𝗢𝗥𝗦: Bengals first-round draft pick Shemar Stewart is now practicing with Texas A&M and NOT the team.
Stewart has the option to not play in the NFL this season & return to Texas A&M and re-enter the draft in 2026.
Shemar wants to get paid 😤 pic.twitter.com/nJmNQvgL57
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) July 15, 2025
Because Stewart declared for the 2025 NFL Draft after three years at Texas A&M, he still has one year of NCAA eligibility remaining. However, once you declare and sign with an agent (as Stewart did), NCAA rules traditionally prohibit returning to college football. That means he’d likely need to file a lawsuit to regain eligibility.
Stewart and the Bengals are in a standoff over specific contract language in his rookie deal. As a result, he’s been training at Texas A&M, not signing the contract, and skipping Bengals practices. Practicing at A&M doesn’t equate to playing with them—he’s using their facilities independently.
He could re-enroll, sit the season, and legally re-enter the 2026 NFL Draft. In that case, Cincinnati would likely no longer hold his rights and another team could draft him. If he sues and wins, he might regain that final year of eligibility—but the Bengals would still hold his draft rights through 2026, meaning he wouldn’t free agents.
It’s far more likely Stewart will eventually settle and sign with the Bengals, either before or during training camp. All signs point to the college‑return rumors being negotiation leverage, not a likely default path. So do not hold your breath.
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