USC Has A Future Game Wrecker Hiding In Plain Sight
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If USC wants to take the next step as a program, it starts on the defensive side of the ball, particularly on the defensive line.
Football games are won at the line of scrimmage and the Trojans are in desperate need of a dominant presence on its defensive front.
Jahkeem Stewart Makes Early Impact
Sophomore defensive tackle Jahkeem Stewart was the crown jewel of the Trojans 2025 class when they pulled the New Orleans native out west. Originally, the No. 1 overall recruit in the 2026 cycle, Stewart reclassified to the 2025 cycle just two months before the early signing period.
Stewart battled through adversity early when a foot injury in fall camp kept him out of the season opener. It was revealed during bowl prep in December that Stewart played the entire season with a stress fracture in his foot.
He made his college debut against Georgia Southern in week 2, his first live game action in two years. Stewart's snap count was limited during his freshman season because of the injury. Through it all, Stewart became an impactful player. His progression on a week-to-week basis was evident the more he got reacclimated to being in a game atmosphere. Stewart finished second on the team in tackles for loss with 7.5, which earned him Freshman All-American honors.
"Jakeem is super talented, and the difference with Jahkeem that makes somebody that hasn't played ball in a long time have a good season, as he did last year, it's his mental makeup," said USC defensive line coach Skyler Jones. "He knows what he wants, and he works hard. He's a student of the game. He loves football."
At 6-foot-6, 295-pounds, Stewart has the physical traits to become a game wrecker for the Trojans. And now with a full year of experience under his belt, Stewart is just scratching the surface, and the expectation is he begins to blossom into a top draft pick in a couple of years.
USC has several marquee matchups in 2026 against a talented group of quarterbacks, including Oregon's Dante Moore, Washington's Demond Williams, Penn State's Rocco Becht, Ohio State's Julian Sayin, Indiana's Josh Hoover, Maryland's Malik Washington and UCLA's Nico Iamaleava.
And schools like Oregon, Ohio State and Indiana have featured high-powered offenses in recent memory and 2026 figures to be no different. Having a dominant presence on the interior of the defensive line would pay dividends in those games for Southern Cal.
Investment in Defensive Line
The Trojans have made a significant investment in its defensive line in recruiting and for the first time since joining the Big Ten, there is a strong belief that USC has built a front that could not only compete in the conference but create problems for its opponents. The interior of its defensive line is expected to be one of the teams biggest strengths this fall.
In addition to Stewart, junior Jide Abasiri returns after starting nine games in 2025. Michigan State transfer Alex VanSumeren, a two-year starter for the Spartans, was a big addition in the portal. VanSumeren has brought leadership and toughness to the Trojans defense.
Sophomore Floyd Boucard was a key rotational player as a true freshman last season. In the 2026 cycle, USC landed two blue-chip recruits in five-star Jaimeon Winfield and four-star Tomuhini "TomTom" Topui, both of whom were on campus this spring. The two 6-foot-3, 325 pounders are expected to compete for early playing time.
Redshirt freshman Cash Jacobsen, freshman Jake Johnson and Malik Brooks and redshirt sophomore Brendan Cho complete the depth in the room.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/usc as USC Has A Future Game Wrecker Hiding In Plain Sight.
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