The Carolina Panthers hold a premium pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, and one of the most intriguing names connected to that range just got a major endorsement. Fox Sports analyst Joel Klatt said Tuesday that South Carolina edge rusher Dylan Stewart would go top-15 if he had declared — except Stewart chose to return to the Gamecocks.
For a Panthers front office that badly needs pass-rush help off the edge, that news stings. Carolina ranked near the bottom of the league in sack rate during the 2025 season, and the defensive line has been a revolving door of short-term fixes.
What Joel Klatt Said About Dylan Stewart
Klatt’s take was direct: Stewart is a top-15 pick who just happens to still be in college. During a March 24 episode of The Joel Klatt Show, Klatt laid out why the South Carolina defensive end grades as a first-round prospect even before his junior season. Pre-declaration buzz at that level is rare for any player who hasn’t yet filed paperwork with the league.
Stewart’s combination of length, first-step quickness, and pass-rush win rate separates him from most peers in his class. Klatt pegged him as a top-15 selection specifically — not just a generic first-rounder — which slots Stewart squarely into lottery-range conversations. Carolina, depending on how the offseason develops, could be drafting right in that neighborhood in 2027 if the rebuild stalls.
Production at South Carolina already mirrors what scouts typically see from edge rushers taken in the top 20. His snap-count efficiency and pressure rate against SEC offensive linemen — arguably the toughest pre-draft test available — have drawn consistent praise from analysts who track this position across multiple college seasons.
Carolina Panthers’ Pass-Rush Problem
The Carolina Panthers’ defensive scheme under coordinator Ejiro Evero demands a true 4-3 five-technique who can win one-on-one in base packages. That piece is hard to find in free agency without overpaying, which makes the draft the logical path. Cap constraints limit Carolina’s ability to absorb a massive edge-rusher contract, so targeting this spot early in future drafts is the fiscally smart play.
Based on available data from the 2025 season, the Panthers generated pressure on roughly 19% of opposing drop-backs — a figure that ranked in the bottom quarter of the NFL. That blitz-rate dependency masked a real structural weakness: the team couldn’t generate consistent heat with four rushers. Carolina’s edge depth has leaned on a speed-to-power converter model since Brian Burns was traded to the New York Giants in 2024, and that mold is expensive to replicate through free agency.
Stewart fits the prototype almost perfectly. At 6-foot-5 with elite get-off quickness, he projects as a 4-3 end who can also slide inside on passing downs — the positional flexibility that defensive coordinators prize in modern NFL schemes. Film study reveals a player who doesn’t just win with athleticism; he carries a developed counter-move set that translates quickly at the pro level.
Does Stewart Change Carolina’s Draft Planning?
Stewart returning to South Carolina for 2026 means he won’t be available in this April’s draft, which directly shapes how Carolina approaches its current board. His decision to stay in school tightens the broader edge-rush market — fewer elite pass rushers at the top of the 2026 class means more competition for those who did declare, and potentially inflated draft-capital costs to trade up.
There’s a counterargument worth acknowledging: players who return for extra college seasons don’t always improve their stock. Injuries happen, production plateaus, and pre-declaration hype doesn’t always survive a full season under the microscope. Klatt’s assessment is credible, but it’s a projection built on current trajectory, not a guaranteed outcome. Carolina would be unwise to bank on a prospect who won’t be available until 2027 at the earliest.
South Carolina’s decision to retain Stewart also carries ripple effects across the NFC South. The Atlanta Falcons and New Orleans Saints carry similar defensive line needs, and both figure to compete with Carolina for premium pass-rush talent over the next two draft cycles. How Carolina’s defensive scheme performs heading into the 2026 season will reveal just how urgent this need has grown.
Key Developments: Stewart and the Panthers Draft Story
Klatt made his Stewart projection on the March 24, 2026 episode of The Joel Klatt Show, naming top-15 as the expected range — not merely a generic first-round grade.
Stewart declined to enter the 2026 draft following the 2025 college football season, returning to the South Carolina Gamecocks roster for another year.
Klatt framed Stewart’s return as a major asset for the Gamecocks’ upcoming season, suggesting South Carolina gains a premier pass-rush weapon at the college level.
Carolina’s edge-rush production has declined each year since the Burns trade, giving the front office a defined, multi-season problem to solve through the draft.
What the Panthers Do Next at Edge Rusher
Carolina’s most urgent task is bridging the gap between now and whenever a true franchise edge rusher becomes available. Free agency offers some veteran options — players on short-term, incentive-laden deals that don’t wreck the cap structure long-term. A one-year prove-it contract for a veteran pass rusher keeps the Panthers competitive while preserving flexibility for a bigger swing in 2027, when Stewart is expected to be a legitimate top-10 candidate.
The Carolina Panthers’ front office faces a two-track decision that will define the next phase of their rebuild. First, address the immediate pass-rush void through free agency or a mid-round swing in this year’s draft. Second, map out the 2027 class — where Stewart, assuming continued development, projects as a potential top-10 selection. Neither track is simple, and both demand cap discipline the organization hasn’t always demonstrated in recent years. The rookie selected with Carolina’s first-round pick this April enters a depth chart with a clear path to immediate snaps, which adds pressure to get that evaluation right the first time.
Who is Dylan Stewart and why do the Carolina Panthers care?
Dylan Stewart is a defensive end at the University of South Carolina who chose to return for the 2026 college football season rather than enter the NFL Draft. Joel Klatt projected Stewart as a top-15 pick on March 24, 2026, on The Joel Klatt Show. Stewart is listed at 6-foot-5 and generated consistent pressure against SEC competition, the conference widely regarded as the most demanding pre-draft proving ground for defensive linemen.
How high would Dylan Stewart have been drafted in 2026?
Klatt said Stewart would have landed in the top 15 of the 2026 draft had he declared — lottery territory where franchises select cornerstone defenders. That range typically carries four-year rookie contracts with fifth-year options, giving teams long-term cost control on premium talent. Stewart’s absence from this April’s board removes one of the class’s projected premier pass rushers.
What pick do the Carolina Panthers have in the 2026 NFL Draft?
Carolina holds a first-round selection in the 2026 draft. The Panthers have drafted in the top half of the first round throughout their rebuild, and edge rusher has been among the two most discussed positions for the pick alongside offensive line depth. The exact slot is subject to final standings and any pre-draft trades the front office executes.
Why did Dylan Stewart return to South Carolina instead of entering the draft?
Stewart’s specific reasoning was not publicly detailed in available reports, but Klatt framed the choice as a positive development for the Gamecocks’ 2026 season. Players projected in his range sometimes return to college to add bulk, refine technique, or address scouts’ questions about a specific pass-rush move — all factors that can push a prospect higher on draft boards the following year.
How does Carolina’s pass-rush compare to elite NFL units?
The Panthers generated pressure on roughly 19% of opposing drop-backs in 2025, placing them in the bottom quarter of the league. Elite pass-rush units like the San Francisco 49ers and Dallas Cowboys have consistently posted pressure rates above 30%, illustrating the structural gap Carolina needs to close. The difference largely comes down to four-man rush production — an area where Stewart’s skill set would directly address the deficit.
Marcus Cole is a former college quarterback who has spent over 12 years covering the NFL as a sportswriter. After playing four seasons at the collegiate level, he transitioned to journalism and quickly earned a reputation for breaking down complex play designs in plain English. His work has been featured in regional sports publications across the South, and he has covered six Super Bowls from the press box. Marcus specializes in offensive scheme analysis, quarterback evaluations, and draft coverage.
