South Carolina Football: Ranking Defensive Position Groups for the 2026 Gamecocks

As we enter the summer, football is officially less than 100 days away. Here's a quick snapshot of the defense as a whole and which position groups may be strongest heading into the season.

Oct 18, 2025; Columbia, South Carolina, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks defensive end Dylan Stewart (6) attempt to knock down a pass by Oklahoma Sooners quarterback John Mateer (10) in the first quarter at Williams-Brice Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Blake-Imagn Images | Jeff Blake-Imagn Images

The Gamecocks are only 88 days away from kicking off against Kent State in Williams-Brice Stadium to open the 2026 college football season. Summer workouts and fall camp are on deck first, but before the Gamecocks reach those events let's take a quick look at which position groups on the defensive side stand out.

In case you missed it, we ranked the offensive position groups heading into the season back in May. This time around we will flip sides of the ball and rank the defense. Our groupings for each position will be as followed: defensive line, edge rushers, linebackers (inside and outside), and defensive backs. In a day and age of players coming in at a variety of positions on any given down, this ranking will work to keep things simple and group players for their main positions.

As was the case for the offensive side of the ball, there is one position group on this side of the ball that is headlined by a star talent. Without further ado, let's begin the rankings with those tasked with taking the quarterbacks to the ground.

Edge Rushers

Gamecock EDGE #6 Dylan Stewart | Fisher Brewer

With a good season and tape similar to his freshman season, Dylan Stewart could wind up being a top 10 pick in next year's NFL Draft. He is one of the premier edge rushers in the country and burst onto the scene as a true freshman making plays left and right. Injuries set him back last season along with offenses focusing on stopping him from being a true game wrecker. Stewart has been recovering from a back injury this offseason, the same one that plagued him in 2025. Should he be healthy for this season, he could be eyeing the Gamecock's single season sack record.

Along with Stewart, sits talented players like redshirt freshman Anthony Addison, Tennessee transfer Caleb Herring, Arkansas State transfer Drew Collins, and true freshman Julian Walker. For Addison, Herring, and Collins it's about building off their college experience to man the side opposite Stewart. The name to keep an eye out for is Julian Walker who has garnered praise this offseason.

Defensive Backs

Nov 22, 2025; Columbia, South Carolina, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks defensive back Judge Collier (8) and defensive back Peyton Williams (31) celebrate a play against the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers in the first quarter at Williams-Brice Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Blake-Imagn Images | Jeff Blake-Imagn Images

This grouping will include your outside corners, nickel corners, and safeties. For the past couple of years this room has been filled with experience and remained near the top of the defensive units on the squad. Vicari Swain and Judge Collier return to man the outside corner spots. Their experience and level of play should give the Gamecocks a baseline of good corner play next season. Behind them sits Demarcus Leach and Kosci Barnes, who both should see the field this fall.

At nickel it appears to be a two horse race between Gerald Kilgore and Kentucky transfer Quay'Sheed Scott. Both guys should see the field with Scott being able to play multiple positions in this defense. At safety, Peyton Williams appears to have one spot locked up with a battle going on at the other. David Bucey is the experienced player in the room and may have a leg up because of that. However both Kendal Daniels Jr. (2025 class) and J'Zavien Currence (2026 class) come in highly touted form the high school ranks and could push for the starting job early in the season.

Linebackers

Nov 23, 2024; Columbia, South Carolina, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks linebacker Fred Johnson (15) tackles Wofford Terriers punt returner Cam Smith (13) in the second quarter at Williams-Brice Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Blake-Imagn Images | Jeff Blake-Imagn Images

I like the upside Fred Johnson offers at the position and believe he could play a big role in 2026 for Clayton White's defense. Johnson became a full time starter in his sophomore season of 2025. He finished third on the team in tackles and started off last season with a bang earning SEC Co-Defensive Player of the Week honors against Virginia Tech.

Justin Okoronkwo and Sean Murphy will be the guys filtering in next to Johnson the most this coming season. Okoronkwo appears to hold that starting gig after starting eight of the final nine games of 2025. He is an extremely gifted athlete and appears to be getting better with time. Murphy should be the first guy off the bench to replace Johnson and Okoronkwo.

Defensive Line

Gabriel Brownlow-Dindy returns this fall as the starter with Troy Pikes, Tomiwa Durojaiye, Kelby Collins, Jordan Thomas, Christian Ingram, and Noah Clark looking to enter the rotation. In 2025, the Gamecocks were tough to run on due to a lot of experience in the defensive tackle room.

This year's unit combines experience with potential in hopes of turning around a run defense that ranked near the bottom of the SEC in 2026.