Rivals Rankings Week: Who Could Unseat Jahkeem Stewart In The 2026 Class?

The 2026 rankings shall be up to date this week and there are many prospects who’ve entered the nationwide dialogue because the final replace in early December.

Jahkeem Stewart took over the No. 1 spot within the 2026 class when Julian Lewis reclassified to 2025. There are many challengers hoping to dethrone Stewart however is his grip on the highest spot too sturdy for any prospect to pry him unfastened? The nationwide recruiting analysts – John Garcia Jr., Adam Friedman, Adam Gorney, Marshall Levenson and Greg Smith – give their takes on who they assume is the most definitely challenger to unseat Stewart.

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RIVALS RANKINGS WEEK

Sunday: Who could unseat Jahkeem Stewart in the 2026 class?

Monday: 5-Star Countdown | Meet the brand new five-stars

Tuesday: Rivals250 launched | Ten highest debuts | Gorney’s ideas

Wednesday: Offensive place rankings launched

Thursday: Defensive place rankings launched

Friday: State rankings launched

Saturday: Roundtable on the 2026 rankings

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FINAL 2023 TEAM RANKINGS: Comprehensive (overall) ranking | High school/JUCO ranking | Transfer portal ranking

CLASS OF 2024 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Team | Position | State

CLASS OF 2025 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Team | Position | State

TRANSFER PORTAL: Latest news | Transfer portal player ranking | Transfer portal team ranking | Transfer Tracker | Message board

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Stewart is actually elite and he may have been a five-star prospect within the 2025 class so it’ll be very troublesome for anyone within the 2026 class to unseat him. That being mentioned, I can’t keep in mind a 6-foot-7, 300-pound offensive deal with like Jackson Cantwell with former Olympians as dad and mom. Cantwell performs a premium place with a skillset that has nearly limitless upside. If he develops like an elite prospect ought to, Cantwell may problem Stewart on the prime of the Rivals250.

If the dialogue is round who can presumably problem a game-wrecking defensive lineman like Stewart, why not an offensive lineman who may even see him on the prep and school degree earlier than all is alleged and finished? After all Pepe performs a precedence place and can work at left deal with at IMG Academy as an upperclassman, the place he has already excelled together with his 6-foot-7 size and body as a cross protector. Now as much as 290 kilos, Pepe is starting to fill out that dream body, particularly within the decrease half, which means he can work in the direction of turning into a extra ferocious and highly effective run blocker to proceed to steadiness out his sport. There may be after all a protracted technique to go within the cycle, so seeing how these elite recruits develop each bodily and technically will go a good distance in the direction of the race for No. 1 — so why not a contemporary, pass-first blindside protector?

It’ll be troublesome to unseat Jahkeem Stewart as the highest prospect in 2026 but when that had been to occur I will make an argument of place worth greater than something. Offensive deal with Jackson Cantwell is an elite expertise whose each dad and mom had been Olympians however the final time a participant at his place was taken No. 1 general it was 2013. Huge receiver Chris Henry Jr. is phenomenal and whereas we spurned historical past by making Jeremiah Smith No. 1 general within the 2024 class, the final No. 1 general receiver was Keyshawn Johnson in 1996.

That is the place I look to quarterback as that’s by far the predominant No. 1 decide and the perfect participant at that place on this class thus far is Newbury Park, Calif. standout Brady Smigiel. Stewart is an distinctive expertise and has an exceptional body and sport but when anyone may push for that No. 1 spot, I am going quarterback and I am going Smigiel.

Anytime it involves debating the No. 1 prospect, I really feel there’s just a few positions that may even begin within the dialog, except there may be an otherworldly prospect at a non-premium place (e.g. Jeremiah Smith). However usually, I have a look at quarterbacks, tackles and defensive ends, which is basically what you will note play out within the NFL Draft on a yearly foundation. Jahkeem Stewart is by far the perfect prospect amongst these positions, which has put him because the early favourite to be No. 1 within the class for the long term.

Looking on the others in these place teams, offensive deal with Jackson Cantwell is the one one who compares from an NFL projection standpoint. IMG Academy’s Keenyi Pepe will proceed to point out he’s elite on the offensive deal with place and worthy of five-stars, however No. 1 shouldn’t be within the playing cards proper now.

At quarterback, the present prime prospects of Brady Smigiel, Ryder Lyons, Jared Curtis and Noah Grubbs will all obtain their fair proportion of hype. I personally would aspect with Lyons to push for that No. 1 spot down the road, however he must be close to good at each junction of his growth and evaluations.

The intangibles are off the charts for five-star offensive deal with Jackson Cantwell. Each his dad and mom had been Olympians so we all know he’s good genes. He’s a very good basketball participant and he’s prolific in observe as a thrower. Standing at 6-foot-7, 300-pounds, he appears just like the prototypical left deal with. Cantwell is an incredible prospect and the one knock in opposition to him is the competitors he performs in highschool. Seeing him on a nationwide stage would go a protracted technique to him having the ability to dethrone Jahkeem Stewart.