South Carolina Gamecocks edge rusher Dylan Stewart, widely considered a top-10 prospect for the 2027 NFL Draft, has been handed an indefinite suspension following an incident during Saturday's game against the Alabama Crimson Tide. The talented sophomore was ejected after an on-field altercation and subsequently engaged in a heated exchange with coaching staff on the sideline.
Incident Leads to Ejection and Suspension
The disciplinary action was announced on Sunday by South Carolina head coach Shane Beamer. During the Gamecocks' 49-14 defeat to Alabama, Stewart was removed from the game after striking tight end Josh Ford's helmet. His subsequent confrontation with coaches intensified the situation, leading to the severe consequence.
Coach Beamer Addresses Program Standards
Coach Beamer addressed the media, confirming Stewart's immediate future with the team.
I'll make the decision on what his future looks like beyond this week here in the next day or so. Still having some meetings and talking with him, but he won't play this week versus Kentucky. There's a standard of how we do things in our program and that was not it last night.
Beamer emphasized that the suspension stemmed from more than just the physical act.
It's beyond the punch. The punch is unacceptable. He's not the first person to ever throw a punch in the football game and he won't be the last. But it's some of the other stuff. That isn't how we do things in this program. Accountability is a core value in this program and we are all accountable to the standard, so we'll see what that looks like here going forward.
Promising Career Faces Uncertainty
Stewart quickly established himself as a dominant force upon joining the Gamecocks. In his freshman 2024 season, he recorded 6.5 sacks and 23 total tackles. He followed that with 4.5 sacks and 33 total tackles in 2025. His performance earned him a second-team All-SEC selection, as voted by league coaches last year, and he was also recognized as an honorable mention All-American by college football expert Phil Steele.
The timeline for Stewart's potential return to the field this season remains undetermined. The Gamecocks' recent loss to Alabama brings their season record to 2-2. Their next scheduled contest is against Kentucky this coming Saturday, a game Stewart will certainly miss.
