Dylan Stewart’s commitment to South Carolina just means more — a lot more
So that was something, huh?
First, it was Spencer Rattler. Then it was 2023 five-star recruit Nyckoles Harbor.
Now, it’s 2024 five-star defensive end Dylan Stewart — the No. 10 player and No. 2 edge rusher in the 2024 class, per the 247Sports Composite — set off a firestorm in the college football recruiting world with his verbal commitment to the South Carolina Gamecocks on Tuesday morning.
“#WelcomeHome !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” Beamer tweeted shortly after Stewart’s announcement.
That South Carolina landed a player of Stewart’s caliber isn’t without precedent, but it’s not exactly a routine thing in Columbia. The Gamecocks have signed seven five-star recruits in the modern recruiting rankings era outside of Stewart. Three of those pledges have come in since 2018. Of those three, Jordan Burch and Zacch Pickens were in-state products. Harbor, as many suitors as he had, was unique as an elite-level track athlete and required some projecting.
Stewart is flat out different.
South Carolina beat out everyone — and we mean everyone — for his services. Ohio State was in the mix. Georgia and Alabama, too. The Gamecocks often go toe-to-toe with those schools on the recruiting trail. They also lose out in most every one of those battles. At least until Tuesday.
“I just look at the way (Beamer) is recruiting — they’re making Clemson work much harder in the state than they have, getting in on guys like Nick Harbor,” On3.com’s Andy Staples told The State at SEC Media Days in Nashville last month. “You weren’t sure if they were going to be able to keep doing that, and that’s the thing that I think has been the most pleasant surprise.
“He’s still going after people that he would have gone after when he was an assistant at Oklahoma and an assistant at Georgia, and they’re listening. I think that’s very promising.”
It’s the last part of that quote that rings most true: The Gamecocks are on to something.
South Carolina’s 2024 class has six commitments from players rated in the top 200 in the 247Sports Composite, a ranking that factors in all networks. No USC class in modern history has ever accomplished that. Oh, and there’s still almost five months until the early signing period.
Point being, Beamer is swinging for the fences. He’s hit some doubles and triples here and there. Harbor was a home run. Stewart is a grand slam and then some.
There are layers to Stewart’s commitment, in particular. For one (as mentioned) South Carolina went to war with the big dogs of college football and won. That’s something. There’s also the increasingly profitable pipeline from the D.C.-Maryland-Virginia area to Columbia that continues to pay dividends.
Those around the South Carolina program have long believed the DMV was fertile recruiting ground. The closest current major football power, Penn State, is still roughly five hours driving from the region. Columbia is only a smidge further at 6 and a half hours or so, and is the closest geographic SEC school to the area. Throw in longstanding connections Beamer, defensive line coach Sterling Lucas (Stewart’s lead recruiter), special teams coordinator Pete Lembo and defensive backs coach Torrian Gray have to the area, and the success makes sense.
That combination of factors has created a pipeline that’s flowing like an avalanche of late. Harbor, the No. 1 player in Washington, D.C. in the 2023 class, is on campus. Stewart will join him for next fall. Four-star defensive end Desmond Umeozulu (D.C.) and four-star offensive lineman Oluwatosin “Tree” Babalade (Maryland) will also be in Columbia to welcome him.
“When coach (Steve) Spurrier was there, he did a great job. He’s an outstanding coach and was fantastic. I’m not sure if he had the same type of relationships up here, as Coach Beamer does,” legendary Dematha head coach Bill McGregor, who coached Babalade at the high school level, told The State earlier this year. “If somebody else was the coach at South Carolina, maybe they would have the relationships that exist, but (Beamer) does have those relationships.”
Tuesday, for all intents and purposes, should’ve been a quiet day. The Gamecocks open practice on Friday. Coaches are back in the office prepping a few things, but things are light.
Lucas, who spearheaded Stewart’s recruitment, broke the general ease of days leading into fall camp when he headed to the hospital to be with his wife, Brittany, who’s having twins. Donning a black “Girl Dad” shirt and a delivery room cap, he FaceTimed Beamer briefly to celebrate the news — the recruiting news, that is.
“Twins y’all, this man is currently having TWINS #RecruitingNeverStops,” director of on-campus recruiting Jessica Jackson tweeted in response to a screenshot of the coaches’ video call.
After Stewart’s pledge Tuesday, consider the rest of the nation warned: South Carolina’s recruiting isn’t stopping any time soon.
This story was originally published August 1, 2023 at 12:40 PM.
