Dylan Stewart A True Freshman All-American? | South Carolina Football

welcome back to another episode of rock boys football freshman Spotlight Series going across the country in highlighting the true freshman that I think make massive impacts year one at the college football level going to South Carolina talking about five star Edge rusher Dylan Stewart now it is rare to see true freshman come in year one and play in the SEC and play at a high level Dylan Stewart is a rare cat we talked about this kid when he committed to South Carolina 12 months ago he has every single trait that you are looking for an elite Edge rusher but I think more importantly he is physically developed a lot of these Edge rushers coming up to the Collegiate level they need to put on some weight they need to develop that grown man strength Dylan Stewart has that going into his true freshman year now why is Dylan Stewart such a massive storyline for this South Carolina defense you go back to South Carolina in 2023 a lot of the pass rush production was centered on the inside of the defensive line The Edge rusher production wasn't really where it needed to be for South Carolina Dylan Stewart has the opportunity and more importantly the ability to change that for South Carolina in the 2024 season want to do a couple of different things one talk about where Dylan Stewart kind of stacks up in this South Carolina depth chart but I think more importantly I want to go back to the South Carolina spring game and talk about what we saw from Dylan Stewart because I thought that was one of the more impressive true freshman spring game performances that I saw from across the country and you saw Dylan Stewart show the ability to come in year one and handle from a physicality standpoint line of scrimmage play in the SEC fired up to get into this one before we do and as always just want to say thank you to you guys and to the South Carolina fans who've been rocking with the boys for really the last 12 months we talked about Nick haror in a very simil ilar way now I think there are some differences that we'll talk about between Dylan Stewart and Nick Harbor but I can't thank you guys enough for rocking with the fellas if yall do enjoy the content consider subscribing to the channel without further Ado let's get into Dylan Stewart now let's highlight some of the difference was we had from a guy like Dylan Stewart and Nick Harbor you look at Nick Harbor as a true freshman in 2023 he was just kind of an athletic freak right was he the best and most polished football player as a true freshman no he probably wasn't and there was a lot of question marks about what position Nick Harbor would even play for South Carolina when he got on campus right as a high school recruit a lot of people thought Nick haror would be an edge rusher and then a tight end and then essentially just kind of slotted in as a wide receiver now I think Nick haror is going to have a massive year in 2024 but we kind of knew that it might take a year or two before Nick haror puts all those physical trads together Dylan Stewart arguably just as physically gifted as Nick haror doesn't run the track times that Nick haror has but not many people do Dylan Stewart we knew was going to be an elite addresser right you look at Dylan Stewart coming out of high school you kind of looked at this kid and said he was born to rush the passer in the SCC and I think what's so fascinating about Dylan Stewart is I think he's a little bit more polished he showed that in the spring game and I think he's a little bit more physically developed in Nick haror in terms of coming in along the line of scrimmage and getting it done now before we get into the spring game for South Carolina talk about a few reps from the film that we really liked about Dylan Stewart why to have the conversation about how does Dylan Stewart get on the field for South Carolina now I think Shane Beamer recognized kind of what we talked about leading into this episode and that was South Carolina needed just a little bit more juice from The Edge rushers in the 2024 season you go back to 2023 One South Carolina only sacking the quarterback 4.4% % of the time that was 117th in the country we all know that the pass rush is one of the most important metrics to having a good defense especially in the SEC and it just wasn't good enough for South Carolina but more specifically so much pass rush production came from the inside of the defensive line which we think is going to be an elite unit for South Carolina in 2024 but to have that Elite pass rush you need some Edge rushers that can get after the quarterback you go back to 2023 who led this team in sacks it was TJ Sanders on the inside of the defensive line who were the three out of the four players that led this team in quarterback hurries it was Alex Huntley Tonka and TJ Sanders on the inside the edge rusher position just didn't give South Carolina enough juice in 2023 now what did Shane Beamer do in the off season he brings back in Gilbert Edmond who Gilbert Edmond played some really good football for South Carolina in 201 2 if you can get that version of Gilbert Edmund in the 2024 season I think that's a massive storyline then you bring in Kyle Canard from Georgia Tech a guy that has played a ton of football and you kind of just know he's going to be a solid player for South Carolina now are either Gilbert Edmond or Kyle Canard going to be those eight plus sack of season kind of guys I think the answer might not be true or it might not be it right I think Gilbert Edmond and Kyle Canard are two very very football players I don't know if they are Elite caliber Edge rushers so where does that Elite caliber Edge rusher come from with South Carolina I think Brian Thomas Jr could take that step I think Desmond Yu certainly could be a guy I'm going to be looking at Dylan Stewart to be that kind of guy and whether he's an official starter at that Ed rusher position or whether he's just kind of coming in for those passing Downs Dylan Stewart at least in the spring game flashed the best ability to get after the passer I want to get into what Dylan Stewart did in this spring game I think the first thing you got to talk about is this kid is a developed pass rusher not only is he a premier athlete one of if not the best athlete on this South Carolina defensive line what Dylan Stewart did in the spring game which kind of separates him from a lot of other true freshman he kind of showed that he is a polished pass rusher that knows how to use his body in his traits in his hands to get after the quarterback the first rep right here won ton of juice off the line of scrimmage but more importantly the flexibility in body control to win on the outside shoulder of offensive tackles you play this guys have this kind of flexibility to run that Arc and get after the quarterback and I mean if Lenor cers doesn't get rid of this football on a quick release there's a good chance Dylan Stewart's get into that blind set again what stands out to me is one to get off of the line of scrimmage it's a really good first step but more importantly that kind of body control just kind of ghosting that right tackle that's what you love to see from Dylan Stewart his ability to attack outside shoulders with his flexibility get off and athleticism that's going to probably be his calling card as a pass rusher throughout his South Carolina career now I think what's really special is he couples that ability to win on the outside shoulder with just incredible power in his hands now he has really long arms which allows him to shot stock offensive lineman he's also a guy that as a true freshman is 250 pounds and he plays to that weight in terms of just being able to go right through tackles when you have the ability to attack a tackle on the outside shoulder and then have the ability to go right through a tackle as well that's what makes you an extremely dangerous pass rusher that's exactly what Dylan Stewart shows right here 2 just shocking this putting him right into the lap L norell is getting inside the 15 and go make the play that's obviously a sack in real I don't know if they called it a sack in the spring game that's going to be a sack on Saturdays in the fall again when you have win with your speed and you force right tackles to respect that and kind of set outside then you can go right through tackles that's exactly what Dyan Stewart does right here there's so many different ways that Dylan Stewart has the ability to win as a pass rusher and you go back to South Carolina we are going to have a very good pass rush from the inside of the defensive line just like it was last year right Alex Hunley ton kingway TJ Sanders DeAndre Jules getting a lot of really good reviews during spring practice in Fall Camp I look at the inside of the defensive line and say that's going to be a very good unit stopping the Run forcing those third and Longs now the question is what Edge rushers going to emerge as a guy that can pin his ears back and go get after the quarterback I think Gilbert Edmund and Kyle Canard are going to be quality Edge rushers but if you were to ask me who's going to be the special one who's going to be the guy that is most disruptive as an edge rusher I truly think that Dylan Stewart the five-star Edge rusher as a true freshman can be that guy he might be one of the most important true freshman that we see in the 2024 season I think he certainly is one of the best ones but also important in terms of what South Carolina wants to take that step heading into 202 for my eyeballs GNA be on Dylan Stewart we'll cut it there again appreciate you guys rocking with the fellas if y'all do enjoy the content consider subscribing to the channel appreciate you guys we'll talk to youall later