USC Trojans' Future Playoff Hopes Could Rely on Defensive X-Factor

The USC Trojans enter an exciting final game of the season with their Alamo Bowl matchup with the TCU Horned Frogs on Dec. 30. With end-of-season awards rolling in, true freshman Jahkeem Stewart capped his debut year by earning All-American honors.

Sep 27, 2025; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley before an NCAA football game with the Illinois Fighting Illini at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-Imagn Images | Ron Johnson-Imagn Images

Since the addition of USC Trojans general manager Chad Bowden, the team has recruited high school prospects at an elite level. Before Bowden's time came, however, USC landed five-star defensive lineman Jahkeem Stewart.

After reclassifying to the 2025 class, it was evident that Stewart was going to makes waves for coach Lincoln Riley in his first year, and that he did. Stewart finished his freshman season with eight tackles. 7.5 tackles for loss totaling 27 yards, 1.5 sacks, one interception, one fumble recovery and one QB hurry, earning him a PFF All-American Freshman honors.

The honor comes right after the news of USC's No. 1 recruiting class that signed with the Trojans on Dec. 3. With Stewart cementing his talent in year one, imagine what he can do in year two.

Jahkeem Stewart's Development Is Key For Defensive Line

Sep 20, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans defensive end Jahkeem Stewart (4) reacts after a defensive play against the Michigan State Spartans during the first half at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Stewart's PFF All-American Freshman honors marks the first USC Freshman since Georgia wide receiver Zachariah Branch in 2023, where Branch was selected as a punt returner.

The 6-foot-5 defensive tackle from Reserve, Lousiana, was one of the most highly-regarded recruits in the nation, and became an immediate impact player for the Trojans. One of the struggles of the 2024 season was the size on the defensive line, and this season, Stewart resolved that issue and brought an elite skillset with him.

Stewart's five-star rating out of high school brought the hype: His explosiveness, his athleticism and his size will allow him to develop into an elite Big Ten defensive lineman.

Now that senior defensive tackle Devan Thompkins is out of eligibility, USC will look to elevate someone in his place either from the room, or the 2026 class. A very possible scenario is elevating Stewart, since he brings the size, the quickness and even the experience despite one year of collegiate football under his belt.

One of Stewart's biggest plays that came from his freshman season was his interception against the Iowa Hawkeyes, when USC pulled off a second-half resurgence for a comeback 26-21 win.

Nov 29, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley (right) and defensive tackle Jahkeem Stewart (4) pose with fans after the game against the UCLA Bruins at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

“I came up here for the big games. Me just being here is God’s plan. I’m trusting God’s plan, trusting our coaching staff’s plan,” Stewart said after the Iowa win. “Just me being who I am since high school, being a dominant player and I feel as though I ain’t there yet. I got to keep pushing to greatness and I’m going to keep doing it because everybody is going to stay on me and I ain’t going to slack one bit. I just got to keep being that for the team.”

Coming out of the locker room before the Iowa game, Jahkeem Stewart stopped to shake his teammates’ hands in the rain. Stewart’s play has been very good this season, but his makeup stands out to me the most. pic.twitter.com/jJLy7TIvNP

— Connor Morrissette (@C_Morrissette) November 19, 2025

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Stewart is also joined by true freshman Floyd Boucard, who was bound for an impact year before suffering an injury that kept him out most of the year. However, it's likely fans could see a lot more of Boucard come next season.

Who's Joining Stewart In the Defensive Line Room?

Nov 7, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley watches game action against the Northwestern Wildcats during the second half at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

The star-studded 2026 recruiting class for the USC Trojans will be one for the ages, signing 35 high school players as of Dec. 3. Of the 30+ plus incoming freshman, Stewart will be joined by some of the nation's most elite lineman.

Ironically, Stewart was originally apart of the 2026 class, but chose to reclassify to the 2025 class as No. 2 player in Louisiana and No. 13 defensive lineman nationally. Starting in January, four-star defensive linemen Tomuhini Topui, Jaimeon Winfield and Simote Katoanga, to name a few, will join Stewart in the room.

Winfield was one of the more highly regarded recruits, sitting as the No. 3 defensive lineman nationally and No. 7 in the state of Texas. Based on his size at 6-foot-4 and 310 pounds, Winfield brings the size that defensive lineman coach Eric Henderson is continuing to build off of.

Regardless of who could step with Stewart, his first year performance, when he should've been a senior in high school is telling, and proves the defensive line is trending upwards with the arrival of the 2026 class.