2026 No. 1 prospect Jahkeem Stewart talks top visits, potential reclassification

Nothing about the recruiting process has surprised Jahkeem Stewart thus far.

The defensive lineman out of Reserve (La.) St. Augustine is currently the No. 1 overall prospect in the 2026 cycle, according to the On3 Industry Ranking. Since his little league days, Stewart has known he was cut from a different cloth on the gridiron.

“I always wanted it more than other people,” he told On3’s Phillip Dukes on ‘The Five Star Flex’. “I was always humble, I would never say what I am or what I’m a be, I just let my actions speak more than my words.”

Those actions have led to him becoming a coveted recruit for some of the top programs in the nation. The 6-foot-5.5 270-pounder is fielding interest from a plethora of schools and is continuing to work through the process.

LSU trending for the in-state 5-star

All eyes look toward Baton Rouge in Stewart’s recruitment. LSU has made top in-state prospects a priority over the years, and Brian Kelly and his staff won’t be too keen on letting Stewart escape The Boot.

The Tigers are currently trending for Stewart in the On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine (RPM).

“The relationship and the bond that I have with Coach Frank (Wilson) and Coach Bo Davis and Coach Kelly. Coach Frank, he’s the main person that’s recruiting me right now and he’s shown nothing but love and he’s giving me a lot of knowledge,” Stewart said. “I can see where LSU’s going right now, they’re building a better program, they’re helping kids achieve what they want to achieve and just help with their character.

“They’re pushing guys to the limit — and I want to get pushed to my limit, cause I feel as though if I get get pushed to my limits, I can be the best player in the world. That’s just how I think.”

USC, Miami among Stewart’s best visits thus far

Stewart has begun making the rounds, taking visits with schools. Of the trips he’s made thus far, he says the pair that have stood out the most belong to USC and Miami. He broke down his interest in the Trojans and Hurricanes:

USC: “With Coach (Henderson) just getting there at the defensive line spot, that helped it a lot. With him being from New Orleans, the bond, it won’t matter, but him recruiting me and being from New Orleans, coaching up the guys like Aaron Donald, he can do the job pretty good. He’s got receipts for it. I feel as though he’s going to change the program, he wants me to change it. I got the mindset to do it, but i’m just taking the process slow…

USC, my bro being committed there, Julian Lewis, he’s recruiting me also. I’m trying to put myself into a good predicament for me. Just to really help me and my family out. USC’s got great academics, got great marketing business, that’s what I’m going to major in college. Everything up there, it can help you out in every certain way. Great connections, got everything you need, you’ve just got to sacrifice to literally move out there and be away from home. That’s a big sacrifice for me to make.”

Miami: “Coach (Jason) Taylor and Coach Joe (Salave’a), them two are the main ones. Coach Joe, he’s a big gentle giant, he’s all love man. He’ll keep it a buck with you, will help you out with your journey and give you a lot of knowledge. And Coach Taylor, with him being a Hall of Famer, he’s got the gold jacket. He teaches the defensive line how I’m being taught right now and has helped me on this long journey … I feel as though he can make me a Hall of Famer, too.”

Stewart is thinking about reclassifying

Stewart is the top-ranked player in the class of 2026, but he can also see himself making an earlier jump to the professional level. He already believes that he could play in the SEC in no time.

“Yessir, I think I could,” when asked if he felt he was currently SEC-ready. “I could go hit the gym, put a few pounds on, I think I could do it. It’s just my mindset. You got to have that type of mindset if you want to be the guy, but I think I can do it right now.”

That in-turn leads to talks of a potential reclassification to the 2025 cycle for Stewart. He tells Dukes that he’s already given it some thought and will likely dive deeper into the idea later this year.

“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.

“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.”