There is a new No. 1 in the 2026 class and Jahkeem Stewart is ready for that recognition – and ready to prove he deserves it.
After five-star quarterback Julian Lewis from Carrollton, Ga., reclassified to the 2025 class on Tuesday, Stewart moved up to No. 1 in 2026.
“It motivates me a lot but I have to prove I’m worth being named the No. 1 player in the country so I’m not stopping anybody from coming after me,” Stewart said. ”Everybody will get treated the same. It doesn’t matter who you are.
“I feel like being the No. 1 player in the country puts a bigger target on my back but me knowing me and how hard I work, that won’t stop me from reaching my goals.
“If you stop working, people can look at me and say I’m overrated. That stuff motivates me even more and to work even harder. Knowing I’m the No. 1 player in the country, I can’t go up any more so I can only go down and I don’t like going down. That’s me telling myself to not give up that spot. The more work I put in the more secure my spot is going to be.”
The five-star defensive end from New Orleans (La.) St. Augustine had a phenomenal sophomore season with 85 tackles (33 for loss) with 20 sacks. Following an outstanding offseason where Stewart dominated every event, there was talk that he would be a five-star in the 2024 group. He was that good.
And his recruitment has taken off.
Texas, Oregon, Texas A&M, LSU, Georgia, Alabama, Michigan, USC, Ohio State, SMU, Colorado, Miami, Florida State, Penn State and Tennessee are the programs most involved with the New Orleans St. Augustin standout and recent events have captured his attention.
Position coach Bo Davis’ move back to LSU helps the Tigers in his recruitment. The retirement of former Alabama coach Nick Saban “shook me up a little bit” but if the Crimson Tide keep Freddie Roach on staff then they’ll remain high on the list. Georgia getting DB coach Travaris Robinson from Alabama was big because he’s a top recruiter.
“My list is about to narrow down,” Stewart said.
Those SEC powerhouses should be front-and-center moving forward.
“That was a big move,” Stewart said of Davis’ move to LSU. “Coach Bo was one of the main recruiters at Texas for me. For him to come home to LSU, that meant a lot to me.
“Georgia will always be that high of a school for me since they were the first one to actually offer me. They gave me a shot when I didn’t know what I was doing. Georgia will always develop defensive linemen. That’s where I see myself competing for the best spot with the best coaches.”
And Alabama is under close watch.
“It hurt (that Saban retired) but it’s a job,” Stewart said. “With coach Nick Saban, he’s a legend, so his time was eventually going to be up. I hope they keep coach Roach there and that will mean a lot to me.”
