USC football surging with 5-star recruit Dylan Stewart after official visit

Entering last weekend, five-star 2024 recruit Dylan Stewart had already “seen everything I’ve needed to see” from the South Carolina football program.

But that didn’t stop Stewart — a decorated edge rusher by Washington, D.C. — from enjoying a ninth and perhaps final recruiting visit to Columbia and generating more positive vibes for the Gamecocks ahead of what’s shaping up as a massive decision.

Stewart is the nation’s No. 9 overall recruit in the 247Sports Composite rankings. On3 Sports’ in-house rankings have him even higher, at No. 1 overall. Alabama and Michigan were on a previous short list, and Georgia and Ohio State are two of Stewart’s five named finalists.

But, much like they did in the successful recruitment of five-star 2023 athlete Nyckoles Harbor, coach Shane Beamer and company are proving they can hang with the best to land the best.

Stewart doesn’t have any formal 247Sports Crystal Ball predictions yet, but USC has surged with him momentum-wise following his June 23-25 official visit weekend.

The Gamecocks are the leaders in Stewart’s recruiting with a 53.0% chance to land his commitment, per the On3 Sports Recruiting Prediction Machine, and two experts at that website have filed predictions for Stewart to ultimately choose the Gamecocks.

The rising senior at Friendship Collegiate Academy also had glowing reviews for the Gamecocks in a pre-visit interview with SportsTalkSC.

“I’ve seen everything I’ve needed to see,” Stewart told the website last week. “I’ve been impressed by how open Beamer is and how the coaching staff treats their players. I really like the relationships I’ve got with the coaches and my comfortability with the players, and the defensive scheme and what I’d be doing. They would use my athletic ability pretty well.”

Dylan Stewart recruiting timeline

Stewart included South Carolina on his top five list earlier this month alongside Georgia, Miami, Maryland and Ohio State. He’s officially visited every school but Maryland this month.

His recruiting timeline may be up in the air. Stewart has floated a July or August decision date, and The State previously reported it could stretch into the fall — but his talent’s as clear as day.

Listed at 6-foot-5 and 235 pounds, Stewart had 16 sacks and a defensive touchdown last year as Friendship Collegiate won a state championship in D.C.’s larger classification. He was a DCSAA Class AA all-state selection, plus a Washington Post All-Metro team pick.

247Sports national recruiting analyst Brian Dohn, in a scouting report, projected Stewart in February as a second- or third-round NFL Draft pick who can “shoot gaps and demonstrates body control to tackle in space” and “be (an) impact player at a Top 20 program.”

South Carolina – which had the nation’s No. 16 composite recruiting class last cycle and sits at No. 13 for this cycle — has been recruiting Stewart for well over a year.

The Gamecocks extended an offer in March 2022 and have hosted Stewart on campus nearly 10 times during his prep career; outside of his recent official visit weekend, that’s included a prospect camp last summer, a junior day in January and the spring game in April.

Beamer, who’s entering his third season as coach, and defensive ends/outside linebackers coach Sterling Lucas have taken the lead on Stewart’s recruitment thus far.

Lucas’ presence is a bit of a double whammy: Outside of being Stewart’s potential position coach, he’s also thrived as USC’s recruiter for the D.C.-Maryland-Virginia area, better known as the DMV. That’s where South Carolina landed Harbor and hopes to land Stewart.

Gamecocks commits such as quarterback Dante Reno and wide receiver Mazeo Bennett have also been actively recruiting Stewart via social media — part of a continuing effort that’s standing out to him as his recruitment winds down.

“South Carolina has been consistent with me,” Stewart told On3 Sports. “Coach Shane Beamer and Coach Sterling Lucas have done a good job recruiting me. I have enjoyed my visits down there and I like what they are trying to build.”