USC Trojans Land Major Commitment From Priority Ole Miss Football, Notre Dame Target

Pete Golding and Co. see a priority target pledge elsewhere, reveals commitment to a West Coast program.

Courtesy of Mekai Brown on Instagram.

Greenwich (Conn.) four-star edge rusher Mekai Brown is Los Angeles bound after revealing a commitment to Lincoln Riley and the USC Trojans on Friday morning.

The No. 4 rated EDGE in the 2027 Recruiting Cycle is coming off of a busy visit schedule this spring where he checked in with the likes of the Ole Miss Rebels, USC Trojans, Texas A&M Aggies, Notre Dame Fighting Irish, South Carolina Gamecocks, and UCLA Bruins, among several others.

“I’ve been getting out and seeing a lot of schools,” Brown told Rivals. “That’s helped me figure out what I like and what fits me. Those visits have given me a clearer picture of what each program is about.

"I’m paying attention to how the coaches are, how they develop players and the culture around the program. That’s what stands out when you’re there."

Ole Miss emerged as a finalist for Brown with the 6-foot-4, 235-pounder out of Connecticut getting face time with Pete Golding and the Ole Miss Rebels staff this offseason.

But a visit with the USC Trojans in March quickly set the tone in Brown's recruitment.

BREAKING: Elite 2027 EDGE Mekai Brown has Committed to USC, he tells me for @Rivals⁰⁰The 6’6 235 EDGE chose the Trojans over Ohio State, Ole Miss, and Notre Dame

He’s ranked as a Top 30 Recruit in the 2027 Rivals300

“All Glory To God #FightOn✌️”⁰⁰https://t.co/FzdUdTWNHd pic.twitter.com/zuRXuxT6WP

— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) April 17, 2026

“When you know, you know,” Brown told Rivals. “There’s no reason for me to drag it out or take any more visits. That second visit really changed things for me,” Brown added. “I got to see more of USC and more of L.A., and it just felt different.

“After that visit, USC moved to the top of my list. I kept taking visits, but I didn’t get that feeling.

“When I left USC in March, I told my mom it would be hard not to commit right then. I stayed with my plan, took more visits and compared everything — but I kept coming back to USC.”

For the Ole Miss Rebels, the program holds a commitment from the No. 3 rated defensive lineman in America, Ben'Jarvius Shumaker, as the headliner in the 2027 Recruiting Cycle.

Now, as the offseason continues, all focus is on stacking the 2027 Recruiting Class despite missing out on Brown to the USC Trojans on Friday morning.

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Follow Zack Nagy on Twitter: @znagy20 and Ole Miss Rebels On SI: @OleMissOnSI for all coverage surrounding the Ole Miss program.