Although the 2026 NFL and college football seasons haven't yet taken place, nor are they even close to starting, it is never too early to keep an eye on the future. This is especially true for a team like the Las Vegas Raiders, who are in the first year of a rebuild and still need to fill some significant holes.
By all accounts, the Raiders have solved the ever-elusive head coach and quarterback equation with Fernando Mendoza and Klint Kubiak. But that doesn't mean that building out the rest of the roster is suddenly unimportant. Las Vegas can still use some serious "dudes" on both sides of the football.
Based on how things look right now, the Silver and Black still need a long-term complement to Maxx Crosby as a pass-rusher. Kwity Paye is mainly a good run defender, Malcolm Koonce is a free agent again next year, and rookie Keyron Crawford is undoubtedly a project, albeit a promising one.
Landing an elite defensive end early in Round 1 of the 2027 NFL Draft, however, could change the complexion up front for the Raiders. In CBS's latest mock draft, Las Vegas takes South Carolina edge rusher Dylan Stewart with the No. 5 overall pick. And he, to many, is a can't-miss prospect.
Las Vegas Raiders take South Carolina DE Dylan Stewart in CBS' latest 2027 NFL mock draft
With so many quarterbacks set to be available near the top of the draft board, a potentially elite player like Stewart could easily drop into Las Vegas' lap somewhere in the top 10. CBS's leading draft analyst, Mike Renner, explained this selection to Raider Nation simply:
"Dylan Stewart is the rare 6-foot-5, 245-pounder who moves like a wide receiver. He's so athletic that he regularly wins reps untouched. Stewart needs to add more moves to his arsenal, but it won't take much for him to become an impact player in the NFL."
Adding a defensive end who not only has high upside, but also isn't a "project," a word that understandably brings up bad memories for this fanbase, is the best of both worlds. And Stewart has every conceivable tool and solid enough production to conclude that he could indeed be both.
In his two seasons with the Gamecocks, Stewart has recorded a total of 11.0 sacks, 22.5 tackles for loss and six forced fumbles. He had a 16.6% and 13.1% pass rush win rate in 2024 and 2025, respectively, has 34 run stops across two campaigns, and can drop back into coverage.
Stewart not only can do it all on the football field and line up from the 5 technique all the way out to the 9 technique and play some outside linebacker, but he is still improving as a football player and getting more and more attention from opposing offensive lines as his career goes along.
Crosby would surely garner that attention if the two were lined up opposite each other in Silver and Black, and with push from interior players like Adam Butler, Stewart's former Gamecock teammate Tonka Hemingway, Jonah Laulu and Thomas Booker, Stewart could immediately be effective.
Between his elite physical profile, great athletic ability and good production in college, Stewart has all the tools to be a top 10 pick next April. If the Raiders still feel like they need help on the edge from a player who has been compared to Will Anderson Jr., then Stewart is a can't-miss prospect for them.
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