South Carolina EDGE Dylan Stewart Announces Return for 2026 Football Season

One of South Carolina's top defensive players has announced that they will return to Columbia for another season.

The 2025 college football season is nearing its end as teams prepare for offseason moves and compete in their final matchups of the year. One of the biggest components to follow around this time of year involves players departing from their respective schools.

Whether it be trasnfer portal of NFL Draft entries, roster moves can have a massive effect on upcoming seasons and can even impact the way teams recruit for the future. One of the latest players to make their announcements is South Carolina Gamecocks' EDGE Dylan Stewart.

Stewart has announced that he will be returning to Columbia for the 2026 college football season as opposed to entering the transfer portal. The highly talented edge rusher is entering his third season of collegiate football.

Earlier this month, rumors and concerns began to spread that Stewart was flirting with entering the transfer portal and completing his collegiate career elsewhere. However, according to the latest development, it appears that the highly talented defender will be on the Gamecocks' roster in 2026.

Stewart's Massive Impact on the Gamecocks Defense

Dec 31, 2024; Orlando, FL, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks running back Dylan Stewart (6) celebrates his touchdown against the Illinois Fighting Illini in the fourth quarter at Camping World Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Reper-Imagn Images | Jeremy Reper-Imagn Images

During his freshman season in 2024, Stewart burst onto the scene as one of the most exciting young players in the country and created massive amounts of buzz around his 2025 season. Stewart's sophomore year was nearly on par with his first, as he currently has 4.5 total sacks on the season.

Stewart is not the only star player who has announced his return for the Gamecocks this season. Earlier this week, quarterback LaNorris Sellers also revealed that he would returning to Columbia, creating a large amount of excitement around the South Carolina program.

With Stewart set to return in 2026, the Gamecocks' defense will have arguably one of the best defenders in the SEC next season and will have a much better shot at reaching the College Football Playoff next year.

The Gamecocks will look to bounce back in 2026 and reach their first-ever College Football Playoff. The team is coming off a disappointing 4-8 season that saw losses to Missouri, Vanderbilt, Oklahoma, and others.