South Carolina Football: A look at every 5-star recruit in program history; Two are in this year's class!
By Kevin Miller
South Carolina Football's All-Time 5-Star Recruits:
EDGE Dylan Stewart (Class of 2024)
The first out-of-state consensus 5-star player to sign with the South Carolina football program in the modern recruiting era, Dylan Stewart is just the 3rd modern 5-star from any recruiting publication to sign with the Gamecocks from outside of the Palmetto State (MarShawn Lloyd and Chris Culliver were the others).
Stewart will enroll this winter and instantly be the most talented pass rusher on the roster. He needs to add a little size if he is going to play with his hand in the dirt, but he is also athletic enough to play as a stand-up linebacker (rushing the passer or otherwise) in the Gamecocks' 3-3-5 base defense that they used late in the 2023 season.
Incredible burst and quickness are Stewart's calling cards, and because of USC's struggles getting after the passer last year, he could see a role on the defense as soon as next fall.
Like they did with Jordan Burch before him, some fans are already comparing Dylan Stewart to Jadeveon Clowney, and those types of expectations are not fair for the talented pass rusher. However, he does have a real chance to be a special player, and fans are right to be excited about that.