USC will be without one of its most promising young defenders when it takes the field against TCU in the Alamo Bowl.
Freshman defensive lineman Jahkeem Stewart is officially ruled out after undergoing surgery for a lingering foot injury. Head coach Lincoln Riley confirmed the news Monday, revealing that Stewart had been playing through a stress fracture all season-a testament to the freshman’s toughness and grit.
“Jahkeem had surgery the day after the UCLA game,” Riley said. “He played the entire season with a stress fracture in his foot.
Showed incredible toughness. Pretty remarkable and was able to hold off the surgery the entire year and obviously play.
It hampered the ability to practice him and prepare him a lot, which makes the contribution he made to this team this year even more impressive.”
Let’s take a moment to appreciate what Stewart managed to do under those circumstances. The 6-foot-6, 305-pound Louisiana native didn’t just suit up-he produced.
Despite missing Week 1 and being limited in practice throughout the year, Stewart still finished his freshman campaign with 18 total tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss (including 1.5 sacks), an interception, a fumble recovery, and a quarterback hurry. That’s not just filling a role-that’s making an impact.
Pro Football Focus graded him at 65.4 across 11 games, a solid mark for a true freshman, especially one battling an injury that would sideline most players. His performance earned him Freshman All-American honors, and it’s easy to see why. Stewart wasn’t just holding his own-he was making plays and disrupting offenses, all while pushing through pain.
His absence in the bowl game is a blow for USC’s defensive front, no question. Stewart’s size, athleticism, and ability to penetrate the line have been key components of the Trojans’ defense this season.
But the long-term outlook is encouraging. The surgery was successful, and he’s expected to be ready for offseason work.
That’s big for a player who, even at less than 100%, showed flashes of being a future star.
Stewart’s path to USC was anything but conventional. He only played one full season of high school football after reclassifying to the 2025 class.
Originally a five-star prospect, Stewart was ruled ineligible for his senior year due to Louisiana’s transfer rules after switching schools. But in that one season as a sophomore at St.
Augustine, he made it count-racking up 85 tackles, 33 tackles for loss, and 20 sacks. That kind of production doesn’t go unnoticed.
He ultimately finished as a four-star recruit in the 247Sports rankings, checking in as the No. 95 overall player and the No. 13 defensive lineman in the class. In the 247Sports Composite, he was ranked even higher-No. 34 overall and No. 5 among defensive linemen.
Now, with his freshman year in the books and the surgery behind him, Stewart is poised to return stronger-and fully healthy-for Year 2. That’s a scary thought for opposing offensive lines.
USC will take on TCU in the Alamo Bowl on December 30 at the Alamodome in San Antonio. While the Trojans will miss Stewart’s presence up front, his contributions this season have already laid the foundation for what could be a breakout sophomore campaign.