Two South Carolina Gamecocks Make The AP All-American Preseason List

South Carolina has a pair of special defenders on their defense, and on Monday, both received high praise ahead of the 2025 season. Dylan Stewart and Jalon Kilgore each made the AP All-America list. It is a distinguished honor that only the best college football players make.

Stewart was named to the first-team AP All-America. He finished his true freshman campaign with 23 tackles, 6 .5 sacks, three forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, and a pass defensed.

This past offseason, he was named PFF (Pro Football Focus) No. 9 overall player in terms of the top 50 in the country.  Stewart registered a 91.4 pass rush grade with tied for the sixth highest among all edge defenders, a season ago. Stewart is one of the best edge rushers in the country, and the expectation is that he takes another leap forward in his sophomore campaign.

Kilgore was named to the second-team AP All-American team as a defensive back. Kilgore finished with 48 tackles, five interceptions, and five passes defensed as a sophomore. Last season, he finished with a 69.5 coverage grade and a 74.6 run defense grade, which makes him a perfect blend of being able to stop the run with elite coverage skills, making him a highly touted prospect

Here is a more in-depth look at what makes him different.

What makes him special is his position flexibility. Kilgore can play a various amount of positions and align anywhere on the football field. He can play star, nickel, robber, and even come down in the box and be a rangy defender with his exceptional instincts. The two-year starter can do anything you ask of him and relishes in making plays on the ball and getting the ball back to his offense. Kilgrore has a strong run defensive grade per PFF (Pro Football Focus) with a 74.6 grade. He also has great speed and has been clocked at a top speed of 23 MPH.

South Carolina is expected to have a strong defense in 2025. With Stewart and Kilgore leading the charge as cornerstone pieces, the Gamecocks have a chance to be formidable and possibly achieve their goals of making the College Football Playoff.