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Draftanomics
Prospect dossier

Dylan Stewart

EDGE · South Carolina · 2027 NFL Draft class

Public Draft Board rank #3·33 contributing sources·Board as of August 31, 2026
Draftanomics scouting
Revised preseason edition · September 12, 20264 min readReport role: EDGE · South Carolina

Master scouting report

Stewart is an explosive edge rusher whose get-off and ability to bend can force an offensive tackle into an early recovery. He can dip under the punch and flatten to the quarterback, but his rush becomes less effective when the first move is contained. The NFL projection starts with outside pressure and inside stunt work; a dependable every-down role requires better hand sequencing, leverage and run discipline.

By Draftanomics · Sources & edition · Print report

01Experience and production

Stewart made 24 appearances and 22 starts across his first two seasons. He started 11 of 13 games in 2024, producing 23 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks. In 2025 he started all 11 games he played, with 33 tackles, 12 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks. He forced three fumbles in each season. The record establishes substantial starting work and repeated disruption. The lower sack total in 2025 does not, by itself, resolve whether his rush technique improved; the effectiveness of his counters remains the more useful development measure.

02Get-off, bend and rush counters

Stewart’s best rush attacks the tackle’s outside shoulder. He can lower his shoulder beneath the punch, avoid clean contact with a ghost move and flatten toward the passer without taking a wide, wasteful path. The threat of his get-off can force the tackle to hurry the set, opening opportunities to cross inside or introduce speed to power. His reliance on the ghost move makes the approach easier to anticipate. The swim can become predictable as well, and showing several opening moves has not yet produced a dependable counter sequence. When a tackle survives the entry and establishes contact, Stewart needs a quicker second answer from his hands. More consistent separation after that contact would turn his initial advantage into pressure on a wider range of reps.

03Edge control and run defense

Stewart has reps of patient reads, sound read-option responsibility and enough resistance to hold against a single blocker. He can play with restraint rather than chase every movement in the backfield. That control is inconsistent. Against Missouri, Alabama and Texas A&M, eye-discipline and containment errors, elevated pads and insufficient strength exposed him to displacement or the wrong initial path. His effort can keep him involved after a mistake, but recovery is a less dependable answer than retaining his leverage in the first place. Added strength would help him resist contact; better pad level and steadier reads are equally necessary. The run-defense projection is developmental because those mistakes can remove him from the assignment even when his first step is disruptive.

04Alignment and stunt value

Stewart has worked predominantly from the left defensive-end spot and accelerates sharply on inside stunts. Movement gives a coordinator a way to send his burst through a different gap and challenge the protection’s exchange between blockers. It is a useful part of his pass-rush role, particularly while his counters develop. His ability to win against a tackle who gets square and lands the first punch remains a separate limitation.

05Development priorities

The technical priorities are a connected rush plan and firmer control through contact. Stewart needs to threaten the outside shoulder, recognize when that path closes and work into a second move while his feet remain active. Against the run, he needs to keep his pads and eyes disciplined enough to hold the assigned edge. Improving those details would make his pressure more repeatable and reduce the tradeoff between attacking the quarterback and staying available for the run.

The case for the player

Strengths

  • His speed can force an early protection response and open room for inside attacks or power.

  • The ability to dip and flatten lets him threaten a shorter route around the tackle.

The questions that remain

Concerns

  • Hand sequencing must sustain the rush when the first move fails.

  • Strength and assignment control remain inconsistent.

Building the fit

NFL role and scheme fit

Use Stewart as an attacking outside rusher, with selected inside stunts on passing downs. His get-off and bend are the primary weapons; speed to power and inside attacks should complement that threat. He has the traits to grow into an every-down edge, but the current plan should account for uneven run leverage and containment. Expanded early-down responsibility should follow more dependable execution against contact.

The Draftanomics view

Bottom line

A high-upside pressure player with a clear NFL pass-rush role. Stewart can threaten the corner immediately and offers useful stunt acceleration. His ability to become a complete starting edge depends on sustaining the rush after the first exchange and holding his run responsibility with greater consistency.

Sources & edition

The Draftanomics assessment, synthesized from attributed reporting. Role and development language expresses scouting opinion.

Synthesis of published evaluations of 2024–25 college play, reviewed September 12. This edition does not evaluate 2026 games or claim new Draftanomics film study.

Edition reviewed September 12, 2026. Connects rush tools to counters and alignment; restores the documented disagreement over run discipline and strength.

The original August edition remains preserved. This is a revised Draftanomics assessment, with supporting sources attached to each statement.

View the 5 referenced sources
Read statement references

Every passage remains linked to its supporting sources. Open a section to inspect the assessment and its evidence.

Sources for overview
  1. House assessment

    Stewart is an explosive edge rusher whose get-off and ability to bend can force an offensive tackle into an early recovery. He can dip under the punch and flatten to the quarterback, but his rush becomes less effective when the first move is contained. The NFL projection starts with outside pressure and inside stunt work; a dependable every-down role requires better hand sequencing, leverage and run discipline.

Sources for experience and production
  1. House assessment

    Stewart made 24 appearances and 22 starts across his first two seasons. He started 11 of 13 games in 2024, producing 23 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks. In 2025 he started all 11 games he played, with 33 tackles, 12 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks. He forced three fumbles in each season. The record establishes substantial starting work and repeated disruption. The lower sack total in 2025 does not, by itself, resolve whether his rush technique improved; the effectiveness of his counters remains the more useful development measure.

Sources for get-off, bend and rush counters
  1. House assessment

    Stewart’s best rush attacks the tackle’s outside shoulder. He can lower his shoulder beneath the punch, avoid clean contact with a ghost move and flatten toward the passer without taking a wide, wasteful path. The threat of his get-off can force the tackle to hurry the set, opening opportunities to cross inside or introduce speed to power.

  2. House assessment

    His reliance on the ghost move makes the approach easier to anticipate. The swim can become predictable as well, and showing several opening moves has not yet produced a dependable counter sequence. When a tackle survives the entry and establishes contact, Stewart needs a quicker second answer from his hands. More consistent separation after that contact would turn his initial advantage into pressure on a wider range of reps.

Sources for edge control and run defense
  1. House assessment

    Stewart has reps of patient reads, sound read-option responsibility and enough resistance to hold against a single blocker. He can play with restraint rather than chase every movement in the backfield. That control is inconsistent. Against Missouri, Alabama and Texas A&M, eye-discipline and containment errors, elevated pads and insufficient strength exposed him to displacement or the wrong initial path.

  2. House assessment

    His effort can keep him involved after a mistake, but recovery is a less dependable answer than retaining his leverage in the first place. Added strength would help him resist contact; better pad level and steadier reads are equally necessary. The run-defense projection is developmental because those mistakes can remove him from the assignment even when his first step is disruptive.

Sources for alignment and stunt value
  1. House assessment

    Stewart has worked predominantly from the left defensive-end spot and accelerates sharply on inside stunts. Movement gives a coordinator a way to send his burst through a different gap and challenge the protection’s exchange between blockers. It is a useful part of his pass-rush role, particularly while his counters develop. His ability to win against a tackle who gets square and lands the first punch remains a separate limitation.

Sources for development priorities
  1. House assessment

    The technical priorities are a connected rush plan and firmer control through contact. Stewart needs to threaten the outside shoulder, recognize when that path closes and work into a second move while his feet remain active. Against the run, he needs to keep his pads and eyes disciplined enough to hold the assigned edge. Improving those details would make his pressure more repeatable and reduce the tradeoff between attacking the quarterback and staying available for the run.

Sources for explosive edge entry
  1. House assessment

    His speed can force an early protection response and open room for inside attacks or power.

Sources for flexible rush path
  1. House assessment

    The ability to dip and flatten lets him threaten a shorter route around the tackle.

Sources for connected counters
  1. House assessment

    Hand sequencing must sustain the rush when the first move fails.

Sources for run consistency
  1. House assessment

    Strength and assignment control remain inconsistent.

Sources for nfl role and scheme fit
  1. House assessment

    Use Stewart as an attacking outside rusher, with selected inside stunts on passing downs. His get-off and bend are the primary weapons; speed to power and inside attacks should complement that threat. He has the traits to grow into an every-down edge, but the current plan should account for uneven run leverage and containment. Expanded early-down responsibility should follow more dependable execution against contact.

Sources for bottom line
  1. House assessment

    A high-upside pressure player with a clear NFL pass-rush role. Stewart can threaten the corner immediately and offers useful stunt acceleration. His ability to become a complete starting edge depends on sustaining the rush after the first exchange and holding his run responsibility with greater consistency.

College record & draft context

College production, measurables, experience, and the prospect's place on the sealed Public Draft Board.

Public Draft Board

Public Draft Board rank
#3
Position rank
EDGE1
Contributing sources
33
Movement since prior snapshot
Up 1

Sealed snapshot as of August 31, 2026 · equal-weight aggregation of public boards, minimum 3 sources for a rank · The Public Draft Board

College production

Defense
StatisticSeason 2024Season 2025
Total tackles2333†
Solo tackles1718
Tackles for loss10.512†
Sacks6.54.5†
Passes defended12
QB hurries4†8†
Defensive TD00

† Updated from school records · checked September 12, 2026. Unmarked figures are from the retained dataset.

Sources & updated totals

Dylan Stewart – University of South Carolina Athletics · 2024 and 2025 season biographies.

  • 2024 QB hurries: 4 in the official record; 3 in the earlier dataset.
  • 2025 Total tackles: 33 in the official record; 31 in the earlier dataset.
  • 2025 Tackles for loss: 12 in the official record; 11.5 in the earlier dataset.
  • 2025 Sacks: 4.5 in the official record; 4 in the earlier dataset.
  • 2025 QB hurries: 8 in the official record; 6 in the earlier dataset.
Earlier dataset & evidence notes · September 3, 2026
Defense
StatisticSeason 2024Season 2025
Total tackles2331
Solo tackles1718
Tackles for loss10.511.5
Sacks6.54
Passes defended12
QB hurries36
Defensive TD00

Seasons of evidence: 2. Games played, snap counts, and usage shares are not in the retained data. An em dash means the value is not in the dataset, not zero.

Evidence notes

  • The retained data contains 2 seasons of defense production (2024–2025).
  • Defense tackles increased in each observed season (23 → 31).
  • The newest college season in the retained data is 2025; the 2026 season is not yet included.
  • No verified athletic testing is included in the sealed dataset for this prospect.
  • 33 contributing public boards rank this prospect; the Public Draft Board places him at #3.
  • The aggregate public rank rose 1 spot between the two most recent sealed weekly snapshots.

Each note restates a displayed fact. None is a forecast of NFL performance.

Experience and measurements

Listed height
6'5"
Listed weight
250 lb
Class
Junior
Age
Not in dataset
Recorded school
South Carolina
Former school
Not in dataset
Hometown
Washington, DC
Jersey
#6
Recruiting stars
5-star
Recruiting rank
#15 nationally

"Not in dataset" means the value is absent from the sealed dossier dataset, not that it does not exist.

Athletic testing

Not included in the sealed dataset. No combine, pro-day, or RAS value is retained for the 2027 class; absence here does not mean no testing has taken place.

Listed roster height and weight (CollegeFootballData); no verified athletic testing is retained. Bio captured August 29, 2026.

Historical comparisons

Historical profile comparisons are being rebuilt.

Sources and methodology

  • Retained bio and measurements: Draftanomics prospect ingest (CollegeFootballData rosters and recruiting), retained seed data/seed/prospects_upcoming_full.parquet.
  • Retained college production: CollegeFootballData season statistics via the retained player cross-reference; position-relevant categories only; all-zero category rows dropped.
  • Reviewed college totals: South Carolina Athletics · checked September 12, 2026.
  • Age: unavailable — no birth date or age is retained for the 2027 class.
  • Transfer history: not retained — the page shows the current school and, where the frozen id names a different school, the former school.
  • Public Draft Board: sealed snapshot as of August 31, 2026; per-source ranks are not published under the aggregate-only source policy.

Board methodologyDossier methodologyResearch status

Board position reflects aggregated public opinion; the scouting report is a separate editorial assessment.