The latest on five-star recruit Jahkeem Stewart as signing day approaches

New Orleans (La.) Edna Karr five-star defensive lineman Jahkeem Stewart headed to Baton Rouge in early November to take in the sights of Death Valley for an official visit.

Stewart, the No. 3 defensive player in America, is one of the top uncommitted prospects in the 2025 recruiting cycle.

Now, after reclassifying from the 2026 class to 2025, all eyes are on the Louisiana phenom nicknamed “Thanos” ahead of a December decision.

Stewart’s finalists are LSU, USC and Oregon, with five stars taking official visits to all three before putting pen to paper with one during the Early Signing Period in a week.

It was an interesting recruitment to follow. Stewart has received the red carpet treatment from Oregon, LSU and USC so far, but isn’t done checking out programs before a Dec. 4 decision.

He traveled to Eugene the weekend of Oct. 12 for an official with Dan Lanning and Company before hitting the road to Baton Rouge on Nov. 9 for a visit to LSU.

Then came the USC Trojans who hit hard on November 16th.

Lincoln Riley and the Trojans staff answered all the questions Stewart’s camp had last weekend about where he felt at home in Southern Cal.

Predictions began to flow, with the USC Trojans becoming the expected decision. On3 Sports and 247Sports analysts flooded the prediction machine, with USC being the pick.

Then, heading into the final weekend before the Early Signing Period, 247 Sports’ LSU affiliate “Geaux247” first reported that Stewart would return to Baton Rouge on Saturday.

As things currently stand, Stewart doesn’t appear to be in LSU’s regular season finale against the Oklahoma Sooners.

But LSU will have a five-star in Baton Rouge Saturday night: DJ Pickett.

Zephyrhills (Fla.) five-star cornerback DJ Pickett announced a commitment to the LSU Tigers in July after a rigorous recruiting battle between a number of the nation’s top programs.

Pickett, the best defensive back in America, chose the Tigers over Miami, Oregon and Georgia.

Now, with the early signing period looming, Pickett’s finalists remain on the hook, but LSU’s confidence hasn’t wavered.

“It’s about my son being happy, my son being comfortable and my son getting on the field early, and we think that place is LSU,” said Pickett’s father, Damien, Steve Wiltfong of On3 Sports.

Following the news that five-star quarterback Bryce Underwood had flipped his commitment to the Michigan Wolverines, programs knew LSU was in a vulnerable spot.

Now, Pickett will return to Baton Rouge for LSU’s game against Oklahoma this weekend for the Tigers’ regular season finale, sources tell LSU Tigers On SI. It arrived on Friday morning.

LSU will try to keep up with Pickett, but he’s holding firm at this point.

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Follow Zack Nagy on Twitter: @znagy20 and the LSU Tigers on SI: @LSUTigersSI for all coverage surrounding the LSU program.