2026 On3 No. 1 recruit Jahkeem Stewart no longer enrolled at St. Augustine (La.)

The top prospect in the class of 2026 appears to be changing directions.

Reserve (La.) five-star defensive lineman Jahkeem Stewart is no longer enrolled at St. Augustine High School, according to The Bengal Tiger’s Shea Dixon.

Stewart’s withdrawal from St. Augustine comes amid months-long speculation that the elite defensive lineman could choose to reclassify to the 2025 recruiting class.

“Yeah I was thinking about it, I sat down with Coach Clyde and I thought about it. He told me we’ll come back to it in the summer, he just wants me to stay focused for the spring right now, but I’m thinking about reclassifying to 2025,” he said in April.

“It’s a big move if I really do it, just being a defensive lineman. I think it’s a smart decision but I think it’s not at the same time, because I’ve got to develop my body into really banging in the trenches 24-8 with the big offensive linemen.”

Stewart is the nation’s No. 4 overall prospect, No. 1 defensive lineman and No. 1 recruit from Louisiana in the 2026 cycle according to the On3 Industry Ranking — a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.

The 6-foot-5.5, 270-pound Stewart is the top overall prospect in the 2026 On300.

On3’s scouting and rankings team writes this about Stewart as a prospect.

“Physically-gifted defensive lineman with a high-end combination of twitch and technical ability at an early stage. Has a naturally big frame, measuring in at 6-foot-6, 280 pounds prior to his sophomore season. Has plus length for the position with arms that measure over 34 inches along with 10.75-inch hands. Put his name on the national radar with a number of impressive camp performances as a high school underclassman. Missed his freshman season due to a transfer. Has looked dominant in the camp setting. Flashes advanced technique despite his lack of varsity experience. Uses quick hands to easily disengage.

“Has a nasty straight arm that he uses to walk offensive linemen back to the quarterback. More of a straight line athlete who is at his best moving forward. Will need to improve his lateral agility as he has some stiffness when moving side to side. Will also need to transfer his skills on to Friday nights as he gets varsity experience.”