Kyle Kennard makes strong guarantee on South Carolina EDGE partner Dylan Stewart
South Carolina football alum Kyle Kennard is spending this week at the NFL Combine. Following one uber-successful season with the Gamecocks, Kennard will look to improve his draft stock in Indianapolis. NFL decision-makers will have the chance to get his official measurements, evaluate his on-field testing and drills, and gauge his character and mental makeup through interviews.
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During his opportunity to speak to the media on Wednesday, Kennard spoke about a lot of things. However, one particular comment will be of particular intrigue to South Carolina football fans. Kennard, when asked about his EDGE partner Dylan Stewart, spoke glowingly about the rising sophomore.
“That’s my little brother, man. I love Dylan,” Kennard beamed. “I’ll start off by saying that.” Recognizing his place at the NFL Combine in front of media and executives, though, Kennard turned the Stewart attention toward his teammate’s future as a pro. “Most importantly, [Stewart] will definitely be a first-round pick,” said Kennard. “He’s a top-10 lock, for sure.”
Kennard knows a thing or two about what a good EDGE player looks like. No. 5’s endorsement of No. 6 holds weight.
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A likely day-two selection at this year’s NFL Draft (he’s earned some grades as high as the first round but features most commonly in mock draft’s second or third rounds), Kennard had a huge final year in college. In his one season with the Gamecocks, he was the Bronko Nagurski Trophy winner and a consensus All-American. The Nagurski Trophy goes to the country’s top defensive player. He also pulled in multiple SEC Player of the Year or SEC Defensive Player of the Year honors. Both his 11.5 sacks and 15.5 tackles for loss led the Southeastern Conference in 2024.
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Kennard and Stewart formed one of the nation’s most intimidating pass rush duos this season. Despite battling through offensive tackles holding them virtually every play (with very few flags), the senior and freshman combination disrupted opposing offenses at rates not seen in Columbia since Jadeveon Clowney terrorized everyone on the South Carolina schedule. The elder Kennard racked up the numbers this season, but everyone noticed something special about young Stewart, as well.
Kennard’s opinion of Stewart isn’t an isolated one. Earlier this offseason, FoxSports analyst Rob Rang declared that Stewart would have been a top-10 pick in this year’s NFL Draft had he been eligible. Both SEC Network analyst Cole Cubelic and On3 ranked Stewart as the No. 3 returning player in college football heading into the 2025 season.
While Stewart still has two more years before becoming eligible, Kennard and 11 Gamecock teammates will be at the combine for a few more days. Follow along with everything in Indianapolis with our NFL Combine Headquarters!
