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USC’s Jahkeem Stewart Named to Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award Watch List
August 26, 2025 | Football
LOS ANGELES--USC defensive lineman Jahkeem Stewart was named to the Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award Watch List, today (Aug. 26). The award is presented to the most outstanding freshman player (true freshman or redshirt freshman) in college football.
Stewart, who enrolled at USC in the spring of 2025 after reclassifying and forgoing his senior year of high school, will compete for playing time at defensive tackle as a true freshman in 2025.
FOX Sports recently named Stewart as one of the nation's Top 10 impact freshmen heading into the 2025 college football season.
Stewart, a five-star recruit, was one of the top players nationally in the 2025 recruiting class. Prior to reclassifying, Stewart was the No.1 overall player in the 2026 class. Even after reclassifying to the class of 2025, Stewart was still one of the nation's highest ranked prospects. He was rated as the No. 1 player in the state of Louisiana by ESPN and Rivals and No. 2 by On3 and 247Sports. He was touted as the No. 1 defensive lineman in the country by ESPN and Rivals, No. 3 by On3 and No. 9 by 247Sports. He was rated as the No. 8 player in the nation by Rivals, No. 11 by ESPN, No. 25 by On3 and No. 54 by 247Sports. He was 8th on the Rivals 250 List, 11th on the ESPN 300 List, 16th on the On300 List and 54th on the Top247 List.
He was named a 2024 MaxPreps Preseason Junior All-American, a 2024 MaxPreps Preseason All-American and 2024 PRZLA Preseason All-State honoree. He was ranked the No. 1 overall player on the ESPN Jr. 300 list for the Class of 2026.
Stewart had a highly productive 2023 sophomore campaign at St. Augustine with 85 tackles, including 33 for loss (with 20 sacks), 6 forced fumbles and 2 fumble recoveries. He was named to the 2023 All District 5A-9 First Team, the 2023 MaxPreps Sophomore All-American First Team and was a 2023 Louisiana Sportswriters Association 5A All-State Honorable Mention. Prior to the season, he earned placement on the 2023 MaxPreps Preseason Sophomore All-American First Team. He was invited to the 2023 Under Armour Next Camp Series in Los Angeles where he was ranked as the top prospect.
Stewart was the top performer at the FBU Freshman All-American Game in 2022.
The Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award will once again be presented at the Maxwell Football Club Awards gala, along with several of the other top awards in college and professional football.
The Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award has been presented to the College Freshman Player of the Year since 2018 and is named in honor of Shaun Alexander, a former standout at the University of Alabama and the 2005 NFL MVP with the Seattle Seahawks. Past winners include Trevor Lawrence (Clemson) - 2018, Kenneth Gainwell (Memphis)-2019, Will Anderson Jr. (Alabama) – 2020, Brock Bowers (Georgia) – 2021, Drake Maye (North Carolina) 2022, Caleb Downs (Alabama) – 2023 and Colin Simmons (Texas) – 2024.
Stewart, who enrolled at USC in the spring of 2025 after reclassifying and forgoing his senior year of high school, will compete for playing time at defensive tackle as a true freshman in 2025.
FOX Sports recently named Stewart as one of the nation's Top 10 impact freshmen heading into the 2025 college football season.
Stewart, a five-star recruit, was one of the top players nationally in the 2025 recruiting class. Prior to reclassifying, Stewart was the No.1 overall player in the 2026 class. Even after reclassifying to the class of 2025, Stewart was still one of the nation's highest ranked prospects. He was rated as the No. 1 player in the state of Louisiana by ESPN and Rivals and No. 2 by On3 and 247Sports. He was touted as the No. 1 defensive lineman in the country by ESPN and Rivals, No. 3 by On3 and No. 9 by 247Sports. He was rated as the No. 8 player in the nation by Rivals, No. 11 by ESPN, No. 25 by On3 and No. 54 by 247Sports. He was 8th on the Rivals 250 List, 11th on the ESPN 300 List, 16th on the On300 List and 54th on the Top247 List.
He was named a 2024 MaxPreps Preseason Junior All-American, a 2024 MaxPreps Preseason All-American and 2024 PRZLA Preseason All-State honoree. He was ranked the No. 1 overall player on the ESPN Jr. 300 list for the Class of 2026.
Stewart had a highly productive 2023 sophomore campaign at St. Augustine with 85 tackles, including 33 for loss (with 20 sacks), 6 forced fumbles and 2 fumble recoveries. He was named to the 2023 All District 5A-9 First Team, the 2023 MaxPreps Sophomore All-American First Team and was a 2023 Louisiana Sportswriters Association 5A All-State Honorable Mention. Prior to the season, he earned placement on the 2023 MaxPreps Preseason Sophomore All-American First Team. He was invited to the 2023 Under Armour Next Camp Series in Los Angeles where he was ranked as the top prospect.
Stewart was the top performer at the FBU Freshman All-American Game in 2022.
The Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award will once again be presented at the Maxwell Football Club Awards gala, along with several of the other top awards in college and professional football.
The Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award has been presented to the College Freshman Player of the Year since 2018 and is named in honor of Shaun Alexander, a former standout at the University of Alabama and the 2005 NFL MVP with the Seattle Seahawks. Past winners include Trevor Lawrence (Clemson) - 2018, Kenneth Gainwell (Memphis)-2019, Will Anderson Jr. (Alabama) – 2020, Brock Bowers (Georgia) – 2021, Drake Maye (North Carolina) 2022, Caleb Downs (Alabama) – 2023 and Colin Simmons (Texas) – 2024.
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