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USC Trojans Recruiting: 2026 5-Star DL Target Jahkeem Stewart to Transfer

One of the USC Trojans top targets' is set to transfer high schools mid-season, potentially giving USC a better shot at landing the elite prospect.

Randall Sweet

Jahkeem Stewart Friday night lights
Jahkeem Stewart Friday night lights / Jahkeem Stewart / Instagram
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According to a Friday afternoon report from ESPN, five-star defensive lineman and USC Trojans target Jahkeem Stewart will transfer high schools.

Stewart played in the school's season opener, but according to a report from NOLA.com, the coveted recruit is no longer enrolled at his previous high school, St. Augustine. Stewart spent his first two seasons at St. Augustine in New Orleans, LA, where he earned FBU All-American honors as a freshman and MaxPreps All-American recognition as a sophomore.

In 2023, Stewart racked up 85 tackles, 33 tackles for loss and 20 sacks, earning his place as one of the top prospects in the 2026 recruiting class.

Jahkeem Stewart Friday night lights
Jahkeem Stewart Friday night lights / Jahkeem Stewart / Instagram

"Enormous-framed front-line defender with impressive linear athleticism and immense growth potential," Gabe Brooks wrote for 247Sports. "Assembled strong combine testing and measured well on the offseason camp circuit in Spring 2024. Periodic segmentation in movement patterns reflects the growth still ongoing into the frame, but flashes serious straight-line juice for such a big body at this stage. Capable pass rusher from the interior and the edge, thanks in part to hand violence and point-of-attack power. Often physically overwhelms overmatched opponents, but does flash some rip and swim nuance at times. ... Still developing pass-rush repertoire but has shown encouraging technical awareness. Elite young defensive line prospect given outstanding physical tools and promising movement ability who could become a serious NFL Draft candidate down the road."

Following his two All-American selections, Stewart is ranked the No. 1 player in America by On3, Rivals and ESPN. 247Sports rates Stewart as the No. 12 overall prospect and the No. 1 defensive lineman in the nation.

This could bode well for USC, as schools like Mater Dei and Sierra Canyon frequently take in some of the top transfers in the nation. Over the offseason, 4-star wide receiver Jaden Nickens announced that he was leaving his Oklahoma City high school and headed to play for Sierra Canyon.

Jaden Nickens
Millwood's Jaden Nickens during the Soul Bowl high school football game between the Millwood Falcons and the Douglass Trojans at Millwood in Oklahoma City, Saturday, Sept. 9, 2023. / BRYAN TERRY/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK

With both of the aforementioned schools sitting in the Trojans' backyard, Stewart's transfer could help Lincoln Riley and company as Southern California looks to beat out the country's top college football programs to land a pledge from the coveted d-lineman.

"St. Augustine helped me become a way better man than I was going in there. It taught me a lot of things," Stewart told ESPN. "My plan is to find a school that I'm looking for to really just help with my decision -- a place that will better me and help make the decision I'm trying to make."

In addition to his transfer, however, Eli Lederman of ESPN reported that Stewart will also consider reclassifying to the 2025 recruiting class, meaning he could be start his collegiate career as soon as January.

The Trojans seem to be one of the top contenders in Stewarts' recruitment, as the 5-star prospect visited Las Vegas for USC's matchup against the LSU Tigers. After earning a big win in the season-opener, Southern California certainly seems to be in a good position with Stewart at the moment.

Jahkeem Stewart and Bryce Perry-Wright
A screenshot of a social media interaction between Jahkeem Stewart and Bryce Perry-Wright / Twitter/X

Nicknamed "Thanos" for his hulking size at 6-foot-6 and 280 pounds, Texas, Miami, LSU and Alabama seem to be the Trojans' primary competition for the talented defender.

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Randall Sweet

RANDALL SWEET

Randall Sweet is a Staff Writer for Sports Illustrated covering the Oklahoma Sooners, Oklahoma State Cowboys, USC Trojans, Oklahoma City Thunder and Houston Rockets. Since graduating from the University of Oklahoma in 2022 with a bachelor's degree in journalism, Randall has covered professional, collegiate and high school sports across the country as a credentialed media member. While in college, Randall wrote for the OU Daily and logged bylines in The Norman Transcript in addition to working with Sooner Sports Pad and OU Nightly. Following his time at OU, Randall served as the Communications Coordinator at Visit Oklahoma City before leaving to join the team at Sports Illustrated.

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