INITIAL DISCOVERY

Stewart is an extremely twitchy and athletic prospect who displays exceptional quickness, agility, and explosiveness off the snap. He possesses top-tier change-of-direction ability and lateral movement for a player of his size, combined with an attacking style of play that is evident throughout his performance. His rare combination of athletic traits immediately stands out on film.

STRENGTHS

• Stewart possesses an impressive physical frame with excellent length, athleticism, and considerable developmental upside. His lean build provides room for additional functional strength as he continues developing for the physical demands of playing defensive end at the NFL level.
• An exceptionally explosive athlete who demonstrates outstanding initial quickness, twitch, and acceleration off the line of scrimmage. His ability to rapidly close ground on opposing blockers creates immediate challenges for offensive tackles attempting to establish positioning. Displays excellent lateral movement skills, fluidity, and the ability to redirect his momentum while pursuing the football.
• Possesses an explosive first step that allows him to threaten the outside shoulder of offensive tackles. His combination of burst and acceleration can force opposing blockers into hurried reactions, creating opportunities to penetrate the backfield before protection is fully established. Demonstrates the athletic ability to bend and pursue around the edge, particularly when afforded a clear path toward the quarterback.
• Displays impressive closing speed when pursuing quarterbacks and ball carriers. Once identifying an opportunity, Stewart accelerates rapidly toward his target and can cover substantial ground in a short period. His athleticism provides considerable pursuit range, allowing him to remain involved in plays developing away from his initial alignment.
• Demonstrates the movement skills and overall athletic ability to develop into a disruptive edge defender. His combination of length, explosiveness, and pursuit speed creates a foundation for continued growth as a pass rusher, provided his technical development and functional strength improve.

WEAKNESSES

• Despite his exceptional athletic ability, Stewart remains an underdeveloped technical pass rusher. Frequently relies on his initial burst and speed around the outside edge rather than consistently employing a diversified collection of pass-rushing moves. His tendency to take excessively wide rushing angles can carry him beyond the quarterback's depth, creating escape opportunities and reducing his effectiveness when the initial speed rush is unsuccessful.
• Needs considerable development in his hand usage, counter moves, and ability to transition from speed to power. When offensive tackles successfully establish positioning and neutralize his initial burst, Stewart can struggle to disengage and generate secondary pressure. His pass-rushing approach currently relies too heavily on athletic superiority rather than consistently defeating blockers through technique, leverage, and calculated adjustments.
• Functional strength remains a significant concern, particularly when matched against larger, more powerful offensive linemen. Stewart can struggle to establish and maintain leverage at the point of attack, allowing blockers to control his positioning and redirect him away from the intended rushing lane. His ability to convert initial quickness into sustained power remains inconsistent.
• Run defense presents additional developmental concerns. Stewart can surrender ground when offensive linemen engage him directly, compromising his ability to maintain gap integrity and consistently set a firm edge. His tendency to pursue aggressively can also create opportunities for opposing offenses to exploit vacated running lanes.
• His effectiveness decreases considerably when required to engage blockers in confined areas. Stewart has demonstrated limited success generating penetration through interior rushing lanes, where reduced operating space and increased physical contact minimize the advantages provided by his exceptional athleticism.
• Although Stewart possesses tremendous physical tools, his current performance as a defensive end does not consistently reflect the technical refinement, functional strength, or overall positional reliability expected from a premier early first-round selection.

INJURY HISTORY

2025 — Sustained a hip injury during the Oklahoma game, limiting his participation. Later dealt with a significant back injury that affected his availability and playing time during                     the latter portion of the season, including missing the Coastal Carolina game.

2026 — Continued recovering from the previous season's back injury, missing spring practices and the first two regular-season games. Returned to game action against Mississippi                 State.

PLAYER SUMMARY

Dylan Stewart is an exceptionally gifted athlete whose explosive first step, outstanding quickness, and impressive closing speed provide considerable potential as an NFL edge defender. His length, movement skills, and ability to rapidly accelerate into opposing backfields create opportunities for disruptive plays, particularly when he can exploit space around the outside shoulder of offensive tackles.

However, evaluating Stewart strictly as a defensive end reveals substantial developmental concerns that cannot be overlooked. His reliance on speed-oriented, wide-looping pass rushes, limited counter moves, inconsistent functional strength, and difficulties maintaining positioning against powerful offensive linemen restrict his current effectiveness as a complete defensive player.

His run-defense limitations are particularly concerning when projecting his ability to handle the responsibilities of an every-down NFL defensive end. Stewart must improve his ability to establish leverage, maintain gap discipline, disengage from blockers, and consistently defend his assigned area rather than relying primarily on athletic pursuit.

Stewart's athletic profile and developmental requirements draw comparisons to Danielle Hunter, who entered the NFL possessing exceptional physical tools but requiring further technical refinement. During his early years in the NFL, Hunter developed the technical skills and functional strength necessary to become an accomplished NFL pass rusher and a reliable defender against the run. While Stewart possesses similar developmental potential, such improvement is not guaranteed.

Although his athletic ceiling is considerable, Stewart currently projects as a developmental edge defender whose eventual success will depend heavily on technical improvement, increased functional strength, and a more disciplined approach to both pass rushing and run defense.

The distinction between Stewart's exceptional athletic potential and his present positional effectiveness is especially important when determining his appropriate draft value. While his physical tools may generate consideration among the earliest selections, his current deficiencies create substantial risk relative to that investment.

Stewart possesses the talent to become a highly productive NFL defender, but his development must progress considerably before his overall performance matches the expectations associated with an elite draft selection.

PROJECTED ROUND (CONSENSUS)

1st RD (Top 5 Overall)

MY VALUE BOARD

2nd RD (Top Of Round) (Last Updated: 11-05-26)

Profile by: Ken Becks aka TheScout — @1stDown_Scout