South Carolina trending for Five-Star Plus+ EDGE Dylan Stewart

South Carolina has been in a heated battle with the likes of Ohio State and Miami when it comes to Washington (D.C.) Friendship Collegiate Academy Five-Star Plus+ EDGE Dylan Stewart. Following Stewart’s latest trip to Columbia though, it seems like the Gamecocks may have put a gap between themselves and the competition.

Following recent industry updates, South Carolina now holds a commanding lead in Stewart’s recruitment according to the On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine (RPM). They sit with 68.2% chance to land his pledge. Ohio State now sits in a distant second at 15.1% and Miami with 11.6%.

The 6-foot-5, 250-pounder has taken several visits to Columbia throughout his recruitment and was on campus again for the annual summer cookout. In June he announced his top schools and included South Carolina in that mix alongside “Georgia, Maryland, Miami, Ohio State and South Carolina.

“South Carolina has been consistent with me,” Stewart told On3’s Chad Simmons in June regarding the Gamecocks. “Coach Shane Beamer and Coach Sterling Lucas have done a good job recruiting me. I have enjoyed my visits down there and I like what they are trying to build.”

Stewart is the No. 10 overall prospect and No. 2 EDGE in the 2024 cycle, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. He is also the No. 1 player in D.C.

He currently has an On3 NIL Valuation of $321K. The On3 NIL Valuation is the industry’s leading index that sets high school and college athletes’ projected annual value (PAV). The NIL valuation does not act as a tracker of the value of NIL deals an athlete has completed to date. It rather signifies an athlete’s value at a certain moment in time.

For more South Carolina recruiting intel, check out GamecockCentral.

Where South Carolina’s 2024 class currently stands

A pledge from Stewart would be a major boost for Beamer and his staff as South Carolina looks to jump past where they finished during the 2023 cycle. That group finished as the No. 16 class in the country and No. 7 in the SEC.

Currently South Carolina has the No. 20 class nationally and No. 11 in the SEC with 14 commitments. Of their 14 commitments, only two are ranked as top-100 prospects.

Those two recruits are Dillon (S.C.) offensive tackle Josiah Thompson and Dorchester (S.C.) Woodland offensive tackle Kam Pringle.