Charlie Campbell
|
|
Dylan Stewart Prospect Preview
By Charlie Campbell
Career Recap:
It can be hard for freshmen to become instant starters and playmakers in college football. They are competing against players who are 2-3 years older and have spent more time in the strength and conditioning program for the more physically demanding level of play. However, similar to some other South Carolina legends like Jadeveon Clowney, Dylan Stewart was an impact player immediately. He was a freshman sensation, totaling 6.5 sacks with three forced fumbles, one pass batted, and 23 tackles. As a sophomore, Stewart had had 33 tackles, 4.5 sacks, three forced fumbles, and two passes defended. He applied more pressure than the numbers indicate.
2026 Season Outlook:
Stewart will see some good competition as a junior. The top opponents with the best offensive line talent to test him include Alabama (Sep. 26), Oklahoma (Oct. 31), Texas A&M (Nov. 7), and Georgia (Nov. 21).
Prospect Summary:
Immediately, when watching South Carolina, it becomes apparent that Stewart is an excellent athlete and is very fast. Stewart is an ultra-fast edge rusher and a natural quarterback hunter. The first thing that jumps out about Stewart is his excellent burst off the ball. Stewart flies upfield and has an explosive first step that routinely has him the first player out of his stance on either line. Often, offensive tackles are surprised by his speed and how fast he gets off the snap. Stewart has some impressive twitch with a burst to change directions that is rare and abnormal for defenders with his size and length.
Aside from a quick first step, Stewart has serious speed to turn the corner and a tremendous burst to close on the quarterback. When free, he is a blur, eating up space and darting into the backfield. When Stewart gets home, he shows some physicality with his tackling and how he puts quarterbacks into the turf. Stewart also shows some speed to power ability as he can push tackles back as they start to retreat to cut off the edge and get caught off guard when Stewart fires into them. Stewart has good instincts to go for the strip and is capable of making a game-changing play on any rush.
Stewart has quality vision that leads to him having nice read and react skills. While moving upfield, Stewart keeps his eyes on the play, and that leads to him being able to redirect to get to the ball.
As a run defender, Stewart fights and is dangerous to make plays in the backfield. He can fight into the backfield and is dynamic on backside runs to make plays that other defensive ends can’t. When plays call for an end to go unblocked as it flows to the other side, teams pay the price for neglecting Stewart’s elite speed, as he will hunt down ball carriers from the opposite side. As a run defender, Stewart is at his best in pursuit and working to get into the backfield.
Stewart has areas to improve for the NFL, and he is also a young player who is still maturing. He could stand to get stronger. That will help him against downhill runs, and he needs to get stouter for taking on NFL offensive tackles who are going to outweigh him in the 50-100-pound range. The added strength would also help him in the pass rush by improving his ability to shed blocks. Sometimes, Stewart gets in trouble when tackles latch onto his chest, and he does not have the power to break free.
Stewart has a ton of upside and could be a special pro edge rusher.
2027 NFL Draft Expectations:
Entering the 2026 season, Stewart looks like a high first-round prospect for the 2027 NFL Draft.
RELATED LINKS:
2027 NFL Mock Draft - June 9
Fantasy Football Rankings - June 8
NFL Picks - Feb. 9
NFL Power Rankings - Jan. 26
Walt