Dylan Stewart injury update: Shane Beamer shares where South Carolina LB stands in spring practice

When South Carolina linebacker Dylan Stewart is healthy, he is easily one of the most impactful players in all of college football. Unfortunately for Stewart and the program last season, he was never quite fully healthy.

This resulted in missing two games (against No. 14 Oklahoma and Coastal Carolina) and a slight slip in sack numbers. As a freshman in 2024, the Washington, DC native recorded 23 tackles, 6.5 sacks, and three forced fumbles. He was named to the SEC All-Freshman Team for his efforts.

Last season, Stewart recorded 33 tackles, 4.5 sacks, three forced fumbles, and two pass deflections. He was named Second Team All-SEC, although the Gamecocks didn’t experience the same amount of success on the field as the previous season.

Shane Beamer gives injury update on LB Dylan Stewart

Heading into a highly anticipated junior season in Columbia, head coach Shane Beamer gave the latest on Stewart’s health.

“He’s still dealing with something that, really going back to last season, he was never 100%,” Beamer said. “Then, the last half of the year, he battled through a lot of discomfort as we went through the end of the season. He was still evaluating everything to allow him to be the best player and best version of himself he can be when we start practice or the season in September. Right now, that means literally doing nothing. He was doing some stuff back in January and February.

“He was on track and was doing some great stuff from a healing standpoint. He was on the right track. Not that he’s off the right track right now, but from visiting with doctors and specialists, the best thing for him right now, from a physical standpoint, is to do nothing and let everything rest. So, that’s what we’re doing right now. If I have something to report, I’ll report it at some point. Right now, he’s resting. Right now, we expect him to be 100% full go when we kick the season off.”

South Carolina entered the 2025 season with massive expectations, as it fell just shy of a College Football Playoff appearance. It, however, fell way short of sed expectations. The Gamecocks finished with a 4-8 record, putting immense pressure on Beamer and the team for the 2026 season. With Stewart and quarterback LaNorris Sellers returning for their respective junior seasons, this seems like a make-or-break season for the Gamecocks.