Pair of South Carolina football freshmen named "Freshmen to Watch" ahead of game 1

Shane Beamer's South Carolina football team will play its first game of the 2024 season on Saturday, and according to the team's head coach, the Gamecocks will play a few true freshmen when the Old Dominion Monarchs come to town.

The two most high-profile true freshmen on the roster are class of 2024 5-star players Josiah Thompson and Dylan Stewart. Thompson, a Palmetto State native, is the favorite to start at left tackle. Stewart, an athletic EDGE player from Washington DC, will factor into the defensive end rotation heavily this season and could earn a starting gig. Both players are preseason Freshmen All-Americans according to multiple outlets.

This week, 247Sports' Andrew Ivens and Cooper Petagna teamed up to release their list of "Freshmen 15: Freshmen to Watch" ahead of Week 1, and Dylan Stewart made the list. Pro Football Focus' college division (PFF College) also released their version of "Freshmen to Watch," a list of 10 first-year players they will be keeping their eyes on, and Josiah Thompson made the cut.

For Stewart, a starting position doesn't seem to be in the cards for the Gamecocks' opening game as he was listed as a backup on the team's first depth chart. However, he is part of a suddenly deep EDGE room that should make a huge difference for the USC defense in 2024. Stewart brings a natural pass rush ability and smooth athleticism that will pop whenever he gets on the field, and the Gamecocks will need him to be a real producer this fall.

Thompson appears set to be the man at left tackle for offensive line coach Lonnie Teasley. Despite being a freshman and being a little thinner than most SEC offensive linemen, the Dillon High School product has elite athleticism and length for the position, and he has been even better than expected since arriving on campus during the winter.

South Carolina football fans will get their first chance to watch both Stewart and Thompson at 4:15 PM ET on Saturday inside the friendly confines of Williams-Brice Stadium. The Gamecocks and Old Dominion Monarchs will have their game broadcast on the SEC Network and streamed on the ESPN app.