This season, Stewart is second on the Gamecocks in sacks (6.5), trailing fifth-year senior defensive lineman Kyle Kennard (11.5 sacks), who lately obtained the 2024 Bronko Nagurski Trophy, handed out yearly to the nation’s finest defender.
Per Pro Football Focus data, Stewart ranks first on the staff in whole 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 staff’s better-than-expected 2024 season.
SEC media members picked the Gamecocks (9-3, fifth in SEC) to complete thirteenth within the convention through the preseason. They had been predicted to complete straight 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 probably would have attracted a number of suitors had he entered the switch portal, however South Carolina’s potential 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 reputable School Soccer Playoff contender.
South Carolina completed fifteenth in 2024’s ultimate CFP rankings, making it the fourth staff out of the 12-team area, behind No. 11 Alabama (9-3), No. 13 Miami (10-2) and No. 14 Ole Miss (9-3).
It beat the event’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 permit 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 achieve $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 prime NIL collective, the Gamecocks have proven they wish to play with the massive boys.
