Cole Cubelic names South Carolina rising sophomore as one of nation's top returning players
South Carolina football returns some of the country’s very best young talent in 2025. Following tremendous first years starting with the Gamecocks, quarterback LaNorris Sellers has earned some real Heisman Trophy buzz, and EDGE Dylan Stewart is among the most disruptive defenders in the country.
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On Sunday, SEC Network analyst Cole Cubelic showed just how good he thinks Stewart can be. On his podcast, The Cube Show, Cubelic ranked Stewart as the No. 3 overall returning player in college football. Only Ohio State’s duo of Caleb Downs and Jeremiah Smith rank ahead of Stewart.
According to Cubelic, the former 5-star prospect’s greatness lies within his ability to do things that cannot be coached. Stewart is a freak athlete who especially impressed Cubelic—a former offensive lineman at Auburn—with his get-off at the line of scrimmage and his flexibility and bend around the edge.
Cubelic remarked, “[Stewart] is going to wreck the game when he’s on the field…He is just overly dynamic at a position that, as we know and we’ve seen over time, can go take over a game and ruin your game plan.”
Cubelic raised just two questions about Stewart’s game. He asked if Stewart can improve against the run and if he can be productive even after South Carolina loses other good defensive line talent to the NFL this offseason.
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LaNorris Sellers also earned an honorable mention shoutout. Cubelic called No. 16 a “dynamic runner with a big arm who can take over a game.” He also said Sellers was “knocking on the door” of making the list alongside Stewart.
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You can watch Cubelic’s entire breakdown below.
With its usual tough schedule, South Carolina will play against two players on Cubelic’s top 10 list in 2025. The Gamecocks will take on No. 9 (Clemson’s Peter Woods) and No. 4 (Alabama’s Ryan Williams) next fall.
Other opponents like Clemson’s Cade Klubnik, TJ Parker, and Antonio Williams, Vanderbilt’s Diego Pavia and Eli Stowers, LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier, Aaron Anderson, and Bauer Sharp, Ole Miss’ Dae’Quan Wright and Cayden Lee, and Alabama’s Jaeden Roberts, Parker Brailsford, Deontae Lawson, and Kaedyn Proctor all earned honorable mention nods when Cubelic began to consider position-specific standouts.
