Sara Diggins/Imagn Images via American-Statesman
Texas and South Carolina may have some pass-rushing gems on their hands.
When it comes to the collegiate level, there may not be a tougher position to develop than an offensive lineman or defensive lineman. Both require a strong frame and seasoning with technique before hitting the field.
That’s why it was extremely impressive to see five-star true freshmen Colin Simmons and Dylan Stewart shine in Week 2 for the Texas Longhorns and South Carolina Gamecocks, respectively.
Simmons was a monster, recording a whopping six quarterback pressures, two stops and a sack in Week 2, leading the way for the Longhorns in just 16 pass rushing snaps.
Recording a 37.5 percent win-rate in Week 2 according to PFF, Simmons was dominant even against a step up in competition, as Texas played the No. 10 Michigan Wolverines, defeating them 31-12.
Simmons was quiet in Week 1, recording one pressure while seeing just five pass rushing snaps, but broke out in his second ever collegiate game, cementing himself as one of Texas’s top pass-rushers as a true freshman.
Against Michigan, Simmons was almost exclusively in a pass-rushing role, playing 21 total snaps, of which 16 were rushing the passer. But, it didn’t take long for the five-star to make a quick impact for the Longhorns, and he should be relied upon to generate pressure, which is an area Texas will look to improve on as a team.
Stewart, on the other hand, is just a natural freak, continuing his dominance in Week 2. After recording six pressures, four stops, three sacks and two forced fumbles in South Carolina’s 23-19 win over Old Dominion, the true freshman led the way once again in Week 2 with three pressures and two stops.
Stewart is already attracting double-teams off the edge and doing uncanny things for any college defender, let along a true freshman.
Through two games, Stewart has displayed superb athleticism and bend, while even showing good technique with a number of pass-rushing moves at his disposal. Even with the loaded amount of talent in the 2024 recruiting class, Stewart could very well be the best true freshman out there currently, regardless of position.
South Carolina, playing in the SEC, has one of the toughest schedules in the nation and that continues this week with a matchup against the LSU Tigers.
Stewart has clearly caught the eye of head coach Brian Kelly, who raved about the true freshman in his weekly presser on Monday.
“The defensive end, Stewart, is a pure pass rusher,” Kelly said. “It doesn’t mean he can’t defend the run, I’m not saying that. He’s a guy that they want in there to get after the quarterback. We’re gonna have to do a really good job, we’re gonna have to be disciplined in our drops. We’re gonna have to get the ball out on time, because those edge guys can certainly [rush]. This is an SEC defensive front. They can get to the quarterback and particularly he can.”
Stewart is still being used sporadically by South Carolina as they ease him into the fold, playing 24 snaps in Week 2 after seeing 37 snaps in Week 1. But, it’s taken just two weeks for the true freshman to crack the country’s radar, and he should be a force to be reckoned with this season.
