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Cowboys First Commit of 2026 Class is 3-Star DE Jaylen Stewart

Oklahoma State’s first commit of 2026 calls Texas home.

Taylor Skieens

Aug 31, 2024; Stillwater, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma State Cowboys helmet sits on the field prior to the game against the South Dakota State Jackrabbits at Boone Pickens Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Purnell-Imagn Images
Aug 31, 2024; Stillwater, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma State Cowboys helmet sits on the field prior to the game against the South Dakota State Jackrabbits at Boone Pickens Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Purnell-Imagn Images / William Purnell-Imagn Images
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A year ago it was three-star wide receiver and Oklahoma native Matrail Lopez who became Oklahoma State’s first commit of the new year. The Cowboys received their first commitment from the class of 2026 in the form of Texas edge rusher and three-star defender Jaylen Stewart.

Stewart, who’s scheduled to be in Stillwater on an official visit April 25-27, chose the Pokes over offers from Arizona, Arizona State, Auburn, Baylor, Houston, Illinois, Kansas, SMU, USC and Utah among others. The recruiting process for Stewart and Oklahoma State moved really quickly as he wasn’t offered until early January of 2025.

The 6-2, 230 pounds, Stewart is coming off a very good junior season with the Pearland Oilers. He helped them to a 9-3 overall record, 7-1 in district play as he recorded 52 total tackles, 31 of which were solo stops, including 10 sacks. Stewart was named First Team All-District in UIL 6A Region III District 22.

According to the 247Sports composite rankings, Stewart is currently the No. 473 overall prospect in the class, the No. 38 overall edge and the No. 64 ranked overall prospect out of Texas in the class.

Stewart was one that the first official offers handed out by the brand new Oklahoma State Cowboys coaching staff. He grew a strong bond with new defensive line coach Ryan Osborn. The bond proved to stick and Stewart committed even before his official visit to Stillwater next month.

The Cowboys have shown during the recruiting process that they are looking for game changing athletes. They may have found just that in Jaylen Stewart. He has a background in track and field at Pearland where he has competed in shot put as well as high jump. During his junior season on the football field, Stewart even carried the ball out of the backfield. He is exactly the type of player who will flourish at Oklahoma State.

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Taylor Skieens
TAYLOR SKIEENS

Taylor Skieens has been an avid sports journalist with the McCurtain Gazette in Idabel, Oklahoma for seven years. He holds the title of Sports Editor for one of the oldest remaining print publications in the state of Oklahoma. Taylor grew up in the small lumber town of Wright City Oklahoma where he played baseball and basketball for the Lumberjax.

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