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DALLAS, Texas – Junior EDGE Dylan Stewart was one of 68 players named to the 2026 Bronko Nagurski Trophy Watch List, the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) announced today. The Southeastern Conference leads the nation with 17 players on the watch list. By position, the list includes 21 linebackers, 16 safeties (including one designated nickel back), 13 defensive ends, 10 defensive tackles and eight cornerbacks. Stewart started 11 games for the Gamecocks in 2025, earning All-SEC honors and honorable mention All-America distinction. He totaled 33 tackles with 4.5 sacks and a team-leading 12.0 tackles for loss. He also had eight QB hurries, two pass breakups and three forced fumbles (T-2 nd in the SEC). Stewart was a unanimous Freshman All-American and finalist for the Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award in 2024 after notching 23 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks, which ranked third among all FBS freshmen. A Washington, D.C. native, Stewart was tabbed a 2026 First Team Walter Camp Preseason All-American in late June and was also named a Preseason First Team All-SEC member as voted on by media attending SEC Media Days in Tampa the week of July 20. He is one of 11 returning players who were on the Nagurski Trophy Watch List last fall. Former Gamecock and current LA Charger Kyle Kennard won the 2024 Nagurski Trophy after logging 15.5 tackles for loss and 11.5 sacks in his lone season with South Carolina. He became the first player in school history to win the prestigious trophy. The FWAA and the Charlotte Touchdown Club will announce finalists for the defensive player of the year award on Nov. 19. The official presentation to the recipient of the 2026 Bronko Nagurski Trophy will be at the Bronko Nagurski Awards Banquet in Charlotte, N.C. on Dec. 7. Players may be added or removed from the watch list during the course of the 2026 season. As in previous years, the FWAA will announce a Bronko Nagurski National Defensive Player of the Week each Tuesday this season. If not already on the watch list, each week’s honored player will be added at that time. The FWAA has chosen a National Defensive Player of the Year since 1993. In 1995, the FWAA named the award in honor of the legendary two-way player from the University of Minnesota. Nagurski dominated college football, then became a star for professional football’s Chicago Bears in the 1930s. Bronislaw “Bronko” Nagurski is a charter member of both the College Football and Pro Football Halls of Fame. The Bronko Nagurski Trophy is a member of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA), which encompasses college football’s most prestigious awards. The NCFAA’s 25 awards have honored nearly 1,000 recipients since 1935. 2026 Bronko Nagurski Trophy Watch List Melkart Abou Jaoude, DE, North Carolina Xavier Atkins, LB, Auburn Rasheem Biles, LB, Texas KJ Bolden, S, Georgia Drayk Bowen, LB, Notre Dame Sammy Brown, LB, Clemson Taye Brown, LB, Arizona Zabien Brown, CB, Alabama Kemari Copeland, DT, Virginia Tech John Henry Daley, DE, Michigan CJ Doggette Jr., DT, Florida Atlantic Will Echoles, DT, Ole Miss Jaxton Eck, LB, New Mexico Koen Entringer, S, Louisville Tre’Quon Fegans, CB, Jax State Amare Ferrell, S, Indiana Brandon Finney Jr., CB, Oregon C.J. Fite, DT, Arizona State Bryce Fitzgerald, S, Miami Blake Fletcher, LB, Air Force Josh Franklin, NB, Western Michigan Isaiah Glasker, LB, BYU Brevin Hamblin, S, Utah State Rolijah Hardy, LB, Indiana Simeon Harris, S, Fresno State A.J. Holmes Jr., DT, Texas Tech Baron Hopson, LB, Kennesaw State Bray Hubbard, S, Alabama Kenyatta Jackson Jr., DE, Ohio State Will James, CB, Houston Jamel Johnson, S, TCU Isaiah Jones, LB, Indiana Kelley Jones, CB, Mississippi State Dylan LaBarbera, DE, Nevada Kip Lewis, LB, Oklahoma Bryce Llewellyn, S, Eastern Michigan Clev Lubin, DE, Louisville Zach Lutmer, S, Iowa Jaylen McClain, S, Ohio State Leonard Moore, CB, Notre Dame Ahmad Moten Sr., DT, Miami Koi Perich, S, Oregon Suntarine Perkins, LB, Ole Miss Colton Phares, LB, App State Brice Pollock, CB, Texas Tech Marcus Ratcliffe, S, Texas A&M Ty Redmond, CB, Tennessee Ben Roberts, LB, Texas Tech Kam Robinson, LB, Virginia Matt Rose, LB, Stanford Faletau Satuala, S, BYU Colin Simmons, DE, Texas Anthony Smith, DE, Minnesota Donnie Smith, DE, Troy Dylan Stewart, DE, South Carolina David Stone, DT, Oklahoma MJ Stroud, DE, Georgia Southern Jack Tchienchou, S, Tulane Boubacar Traore, DT, Notre Dame Tyrique Tucker, DT, Indiana Cade Uluave, LB, BYU Princewill Umanmielen, DE, LSU Jayden Virgin-Morgan, DE, Boise State A’Mauri Washington, DT, Oregon Whit Weeks, LB, LSU Raylen Wilson, LB, Georgia Damon Wilson II, DE, Miami Daniel Wingate, LB, Maryland