No. 1 football recruit Stewart reclassifies to 2025

Five-star defensive end Jahkeem Stewart, ESPN’s No. 1 overall prospect in the class of 2026, announced his reclassification into the 2025 class Saturday, immediately cementing him as one of the most coveted uncommitted prospects in the 2025 cycle two months out from the early signing period.

Stewart, the 6-foot-6, 270-pound pass rusher from New Orleans, announced his reclassification via social media. Ohio State, Oregon, LSU and USC are now considered the finalists for Stewart’s pledge and he will visit each school over the next two months, a source confirmed to ESPN.

“He’s been dominating four- and five-star prospects since seventh grade,” Clyde Alexander, a coach who represents Stewart, told ESPN. “Some of those kids are in the NFL now and [Stewart] still had two more years of high school. Every head coach, coordinator and [defensive line coach] has him as the No. 1 player on their board regardless of class.”

Stewart emerged as the nation’s highest-ranked high school defender at New Orleans’ St. Augustine High School, where he totaled 85 total tackles (33 for loss) and 20 sacks in his sophomore season last fall. Stewart is ineligible to compete in Louisiana high school football this fall following his in-season transfer from St. Augustine to nearby Edna Karr High School last month, a move that signaled Stewart’s eventual plans to reclassify.

“St. Augustine helped me become a way better man than I was going in there — it taught me a lot of things,” he told ESPN on Sept. 6. “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.”

Stewart’s reclassification now lands him as the highest-ranked uncommitted prospect in the 2025 class, tossing a match into the final months of the cycle ahead of the Dec. 4 early signing period. Other high-profile uncommitted prospects include five-star defenders Elijah Griffin (No. 5 in ESPN 300) and Justus Terry (No. 7) and four-star athlete Michael Terry (No. 24).

Stewart took summer trips to Ohio State, LSU, Oregon, Texas and Auburn, and he was in Las Vegas in Week 1 for the neutral site opener between USC and LSU. He’ll take visits with each of his finalists in the back half of the college football regular season before announcing his commitment.