Dylan Stewart's high school coach Mike Hunter: 'He's special'
Shortly after impressing against some of the top competition in the country at the Under Armour All-America game last week, five-star EDGE Dylan Stewart officially arrived in Columbia to start his college career at South Carolina.
Stewart, ranked the No. 3 EDGE prospect in the 2024 class by the On3 Industry Ranking, needs no introduction to most South Carolina fans as one of the top signees in the country and the Gamecocks’ class.
On the day Stewart officially signed with South Carolina in December, Friendship Collegiate Academy head coach Mike Hunter joined the Gamecock Central Takeover Hour on 107.5 The Game to provide insight on the player the Gamecocks are getting.
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“He’s special, he’s special,” Hunter said. “We’ve had a lot of guys come through here that’s done a great job for us, not only in high school but in college and even in the NFL. And if all things work out for Dylan, I think he’ll be mentioned with those guys. But just, again, his work ethic, his athletic ability, his humbleness, all of that stuff kind of put in one — makes a very special guy. And you can see him not only rushing the passer but playing back in coverage. Some days in practice, when we want to get loose a little bit, have some fun, he’ll go out and play some DB and corner and run with our wide receivers that are pretty good. So, he’s just a special talent, and I’m excited for him.”
The 6-foot-5, 250-pound Stewart was arguably the most naturally gifted pass-rusher on the Carolina roster at the moment he stepped on campus in Columbia last week.
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Ranked the No. 14 overall prospect in his class, Stewart chose the Gamecocks over Ohio State, Georgia, Miami, Tennessee, Maryland, and many others.
Hunter provided his thoughts on why his star player ultimately chose South Carolina.
“I just think they were very good people,” He said. “You know, football is football. SEC football is SEC football. Big Ten and all that stuff is somewhat the same. And I just think the coaching staff did a good job of showing who they are as people, the relationships they built with Dylan. And how things are going to go over the next three to four years while he’s there at South Carolina. And I think that was probably the deciding factor, just how they handled the recruiting. They were always genuine. They were always upfront with him and his family and with me. And I think those are probably the biggest factors to him choosing South Carolina”.
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The addition of Stewart also represents another major recruiting win for Shane Beamer and the Gamecocks in the DMV area — a hotbed of talent in which South Carolina has seen a lot of recruiting success.
“I think just his history. His dad made a living recruiting the DMV area. So I think when he got the opportunity to lead his own program, he probably made D.C. and the DMV area a priority for him because he knows the talent that’s here, ” Hunter said. “And they attack it as if it’s somewhat of a home base or an extension of their home base in South Carolina. And kids want to leave this area for whatever reason and go play in the SEC, and South Carolina’s a great opportunity for those guys.”
