This season, Stewart is second on the Gamecocks in sacks (6.5), trailing fifth-year senior defensive lineman Kyle Kennard (11.5 sacks), who not too long ago acquired the 2024 Bronko Nagurski Trophy, handed out yearly to the nation’s greatest defender.
Per Pro Football Focus data, Stewart ranks first on the group in complete pressures (48). His 16.2 pass-rush win fee is 18th out of 194 gamers with at the least 215 pass-rush snaps.
South Carolina’s protection, significantly its dominant entrance 4, was essential to the group’s better-than-expected 2024 season.
SEC media members picked the Gamecocks (9-3, fifth in SEC) to complete thirteenth within the convention in the course of the preseason. They have been predicted to complete immediately under Florida (7-5, tenth in SEC), Kentucky (4-8, fifteenth in SEC) and Auburn (5-7, 14th in SEC).
According to CFB Stats, South Carolina is tied with 4 applications (SMU, Pittsburgh, Duke, Oregon) for the third-most sacks this season (40) and solely trails Ole Miss (52) and Boise State (51).
Stewart seemingly would have attracted a number of suitors had he entered the switch portal, however South Carolina’s skill to maintain him in Columbia illustrates this system’s dedication to successful.
Pending extra switch portal strikes, the Gamecocks ought to enter the 2025 season as a reliable School Soccer Playoff contender.
South Carolina completed fifteenth in 2024’s ultimate CFP rankings, making it the fourth group out of the 12-team discipline, behind No. 11 Alabama (9-3), No. 13 Miami (10-2) and No. 14 Ole Miss (9-3).
It beat the match’s 12-seed, No. 16 Clemson (10-3), on the street in Week 14, 17-14, as a part of a six-game win streak to finish the season.
Gamecocks Central’s Chris Clark noted Stewart signed his NIL cope with Garnet Belief, which South Carolina named its official NIL partner in July 2023.
In September, the collective launched 1801 Media in partnership with The College Sports Company and NOCAP Sports.
When reporting on the venture, NIL Every day’s Caroline Maglaras wrote that the corporate “will enable gamers to generate income for themselves with out counting on booster donations.”
Nakos also reported in September that 1801 Media had “already generated greater than six figures in dedicated income intending to succeed in $1 million in income in 12 months One.”
South Carolina’s now not an underdog.
Coming off a 9-3 season and armed with a high NIL collective, the Gamecocks have proven they wish to play with the large boys.
