"If you’re not ready to put in work and grind don’t come out west": Five-star DL signee Jahkeem Stewart makes bold comment after his USC commitment

Five-star defensive lineman Jahkeem Stewart entered the early signing period on Wednesday as the nation's second-ranked uncommitted prospect in the 2025 class. He later committed to the USC Trojans on Wednesday afternoon during a ceremony at New Orleans' Edna Karr High School.

Just after giving his pledge to USC, Stewart made a bold claim in a post on X, writing:

"The 2026 Class that I’m putting together will go down in @uscfb History #FightOn✌🏾 If you’re not ready to put in work and grind don’t come out west. I know who the real ballers are. Those rankings don’t fool me. I know who’s who."

Stewart's decision followed an official visit to USC on Nov. 16, when the Trojans defeated Nebraska 28-20. Before that, he visited Oregon, Ohio State and LSU. His relationship with USC defensive line coach Eric Henderson played a big role in the recruiting battle. Henderson built a strong bond with Stewart and also leveraged his connection with Stewart’s trainer, Clyde Alexander, to secure the commitment.

Stewart's commitment is a big recruiting win for USC's 2025 class, which has lost multiple blue-chip prospects in the last two months, including a five-star decommitment from quarterback Julian Lewis, who gave his pledge to Colorado.

This season, NIL deals sparked much debate as players like five-star quarterback Bryce Underwood flipped his commitment from LSU to Michigan reportedly for an NIL deal ranging from $10-$13 million. However, USC managed to secure Jahkeem Stewart's commitment over Ohio State and Oregon, two programs known for their robust NIL offerings.

Lincoln Riley praises Jahkeem Stewart's potential

Jahkeem Stewart is now the highest-rated member of USC's 2025 class, per Rivals. Lincoln Riley praised Stewart’s confidence and gritty approach to the game, saying:

“He has a very unique combination physically, but I do think Jahkeem’s mentality, the way he attacks it, his confidence, he has a real gritty, tough, hard working mentality.”

Besides Stewart, the Trojans' 2025 cycle features multiple promising players like quarterback Husan Longstreet, offensive tackle Aaron Dunn, safety Kendarius Reddick, linebacker Matai Tagoa'i and cornerback Trestin Castro.

Following his commitment to USC last week, Stewart credited Riley for the strong pitch that helped bring him to Los Angeles, saying (via On3):

"Coach Riley he’s getting those main guys and the few people he’s missing to help change the program around. It’s going to be major and be big. There’s a lot of work to put in. I know Coach Riley is going to do his part."

Jahkeem Stewart was the No. 1 prospect in the 2026 class before he reclassified into the 2025 cycle two months ago. He is still ranked as the top defensive lineman in the 2025 class by ESPN and Rivals. Though he has only played 12 games of varsity football, his early enrollment next year positions him to make an immediate impact at USC.