South Carolina Suspends Dylan Stewart Indefinitely After Loss to Alabama

The defensive end, regarded as a potential top-10 pick, was suspended after video showed him punching an opponent during the Gamecocks' 49-18 defeat.

South Carolina suspended defensive end Dylan Stewart indefinitely on Sunday. The decision came after a turbulent finish to the Gamecocks' 49-18 loss to Alabama, a game in which the defender was involved in multiple on-field incidents. No date for a potential reinstatement was given.

Video that circulated widely on X shows Stewart punching an opposing player in the later stages of the contest, and he was not ejected for the blow. Additional clips show him walking off the field past head coach Shane Beamer without acknowledging him, refusing to leave the game, and arguing with members of the coaching staff.

The episode quickly moved into NFL draft discussions. A stock report column from Draft Wire, republished by Yahoo Sports, assigned Stewart a 'strong sell' rating and called it the easiest call in the feature's brief history, comparing the recommendation to an investor dumping a holding at whatever price is on offer. On talent alone, the column rates him the No. 1 edge-rusher prospect in the class, a potential top-10 and perhaps top-5 overall pick with the full set of measurable attributes scouts seek.

The same analysis points to Stewart's decision-making, temperament and 2026 production as the reasons for the downgrade. His statistics this season consist of one tackle, which is neither a sack nor a tackle for loss. His 2025 season was also worse than his 2024 campaign, extending a downward trend, and it is unclear when he might next appear to add to that total.

The suspension lands amid a steep decline for the South Carolina program. Beamer had the Gamecocks on the brink of the College Football Playoff at the end of the 2024 season before a Citrus Bowl loss to Illinois, a game in which the column credits Bret Bielema with outmaneuvering him. According to the report, the program has spiraled since that bowl defeat.

Beamer's own standing has come into question as the results have worsened. The report points to speculation that the head coach may have lost the locker room and suggests his job could be in jeopardy. Stewart walking past Beamer without acknowledging him was presented as part of that larger picture.

Stewart's case has also entered the conversation around name, image and likeness spending. The column argues that South Carolina's decision to commit major NIL money to Stewart now looks like a costly mistake, with the program having nothing to show for the investment. The one-tackle stat line is offered as evidence.

The report also addresses the debate over the top edge-rusher prospect in the class. Texas edge rusher Colin Simmons recorded five sacks in a single game at Tennessee, and the column declares the Simmons-versus-Stewart argument settled. It criticizes a post-sack celebration by Simmons as low on class but treats that as a separate matter.