One of the nation’s most coveted prep defensive linemen will head to college a year early as Jahkeem Stewart announced that he’s reclassifying and moving from the class of 2026 to the class of 2025 on Saturday.
Stewart is a prospect who first made a name for himself two years ago at the annual FBU Freshman All-American Bowl when he earned ‘Alpha Dog’ honors from 247Sports after totaling multiple quarterback pressures and a strip-sack. The hulking tackle followed it up with a number of impressive performances on the offseason camp circuit before self-reporting 85 tackles and 20 sacks last year at Saint Augustine High in New Orleans.
With Stewart now a member of the 2025 class, he slots into the Top247 at No. 55 overall and holds a four-star grade of 94. Stewart, who was ranked No. 12 overall in the 2026 class, will have a chance to move up in the rankings depending on his performance in the Under Armour All-America Game before making his way to the college of his choice. Stewart transferred earlier this year from St. Augustine High School in New Orleans to Reserve (La.) Edna Karr and will not play for the remainder of the season, effectively ending his high school football career.
INSIDE JAHKEEM STEWART’S RECRUITMENT FOLLOWING RECLASSIFICATION
Reclassification has long been a thing in college basketball, but it’s something that is becoming more and more popular in college football. According to 247Sports’ research, just over two dozen recruits moved from the class of 2025 to the class of 2024 at some point over the past year. That’s after eight more players left the 2024 cycle for the 2023 cycle.
Alabama wide receiver Ryan Williams looks ready to go following a two-touchdown performance last week against Western Kentucky, but point-of-attack players haven’t had as much success after skipping a year of high school.
LT Overton – Registered four starts across two seasons at Texas A&M before transferring to Alabama this offseason where he logged 30 snaps against the Hilltoppers in Week 1. Credited with 18 career pressures per Pro Football Focus and just one sack.
Donnell Harris – Redshirted at Texas A&M and was used primarily as a reserve as a second-year freshman before ultimately transferring to ULM where he has yet to see the field. Played a total of 17 snaps while with the Aggies.
Ayobami Tifase – Took a redshirt at FSU and then played in three games for the Seminoles his second year before transferring to Charlotte. Did not see any action this past Saturday in the 49ers’ loss to James Madison.
Armondo Blount – Flipped from FSU to Miami during this past winter’s Early Signing Period. Traveled with the Hurricanes for their season-opening win at Florida, but didn’t play. However, sources in Coral Gables are excited about his future.
Stewart, who turns 18 years old next June, certainly has a chance to buck the trend. He not only owns a very projectable frame having measured just a shade under 6-foot-6, 275 pounds with a near 6-foot-10 wingspan to boost, but has displayed rare burst for a player his size.
“Enormous-framed front-line defender with impressive linear athleticism and immense growth potential,” 247Sports national analyst Gabe Brooks writes in a scouting report. “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. 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.”
