How Dylan Stewart's suspension might affect his NFL Draft stock in 2027

The biggest story surrounding the South Carolina Gamecocks football program is star EDGE rusher Dylan Stewart. On Sunday, Gamecocks head coach Shane Beamer announced Stewart was suspended indefinitely after he punched Alabama player Josh Ford. 

In a separate move, Stewart was also suspended by the SEC for one game, for what the conference described as "egregious contact against an opposing player."    

Although it is unclear when exactly Stewart will return with the team, one of the biggest questions surrounding the whole situation is whether or not it will affect Stewart's draft stock. 

Dylan Stewart's NFL Draft stock comes into focus

Prior to Stewart's action against Alabama, the junior was considered a first-round lock in the 2027 NFL Draft. Across his last three seasons, he accounted for 57 total stops with 11 sacks, including another six forced fumbles. 

But Stewart's 2026 season got off to a rough start, even prior to the latest developments. He missed most of South Carolina's offseason practices and fall camp thanks to a back injury he played through last season. 

Stewart was not cleared medically to play for the Gamecocks' first two games this season, his first game back was the Week 3 loss to Mississippi State. He had been limited in his first games back, absent during the fourth quarter vs. the Bulldogs, and he accounted for just one tackle. He did not record a stop against Alabama. 

In addition to the punch that resulted in a personal foul penalty, Stewart was seen ignoring his coaches during the game when they asked him to come out of the game: 

With Stewart's actions against Alabama and the resulting suspension, some NFL Draft scouts are now scratching their heads. The Athletic's Dane Brugler spoke to some scouts about the Gamecocks' star EDGE rusher: 

“That level of insubordination mid-game was a new one for me,” an NFC scout told Brugler, who chose to stay anonymous. “(It) feels like it was brewing for a while and exploded with everyone watching.”

Brugler added that it's "hard to imagine" that Stewart will not go in the first round. But just how quickly he returns and what he does on the field will determine how high he will get picked. 

“The highest-paid and most-talented (players) get more leeway in college programs,” the scout also said to Brugler. “Now, we’ve got to figure out how much maintenance and monitoring he’s going to need.”

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Obviously Stewart isn't the first player to have off-field concerns, and there are several current NFL stars that were still drafted high. Georgia's Jalen Carter was drafted No. 9 overall by the Philadelphia Eagles, and most recently just signed a four-year $151 million extension with the team. 

Tennessee's James Pearce Jr. dropped to a Day 2 draft pick amid questions about his reliability as a prospect. He was also arrested for speeding and failing to present a license, the charges which were later dropped. He is currently serving an eight-game suspension from an alleged domestic violence incident. In February, he allegedly rammed his vehicle into his ex-girlfriend and WNBA player Rickea Jackson to allegedly prevent her from reaching a police station during a domestic dispute. 

It appears as though for now, Stewart is still considered a first-round draft pick, even with the suspension. But that might change if more issues arise for Stewart, or if he doesn't perform as expected on the field.

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