Oregon, USC Recruiting Battle for Five-Star Honor Fa'alave-Johnson Nears End

How to watch five-star safety recruit Honor Fa'alave-Johnson announce his commitment.

Dec 30, 2025; San Antonio, TX, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley watches in the first half against the TCU Horned Frogs during the Alamo Bowl at Alamodome. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Five-star recruit Honor Fa'alave-Johnson moved up his commitment to Saturday, March 14, and he will be announcing his decision at approximately 1 p.m. PT. He has a final six of the Oregon Ducks, USC Trojans, Notre Dame Fighting Irish, Texas Longhorns, LSU Tigers, and the Miami Hurricanes, although many believe that the race has come down to USC and Oregon in the end.

Fa'alave-Johnson's commitment will be streamed live on the CBS Sports College Football YouTube channel, the same place where four-star defensive lineman Zane Rowe revealed his commitment to Oregon on Friday night.

Oregon head coach Dan Lanning takes the field as the Oregon Ducks face the Indiana Hoosiers in the Peach Bowl on Jan. 9, 2026, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

While the Ducks landed Rowe, what are their chances with Fa'alave-Johnson, the top recruit out of California?

Honor Fa'alave-Johnson Decision Preview

Earlier in his recruitment, Fa'alave-Johnson was expected to take visits during the spring and check out some of his finalists before finalizing his decision. The five-star recruit's change of plans seems to be a shift in USC's favor for multiple reasons. Not only have the Trojans prioritized the spring for building a recruiting class and landing commitments, USC has continued to build momentum when it comes to California prospects.

In the class of 2026, some of the state's best recruits committed to schools like Ohio State, Washington, and Oregon, but the Trojans signed 22 players from California. In the class of 2027, USC is targeting California's top recruits once again, including four-star receiver Quentin Hale, four-star cornerback Danny Lang, four-star cornerback Duvay Williams, and more.

The Ducks are still recruiting California prospects, and they hold a commitment from four-star offensive lineman Drew Fielder out of Servite in Anaheim, California. However, Fielder has been a frequent visitor at USC's recent spring practices as the Trojans put on the full-court press.

Dec 30, 2025; San Antonio, TX, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley watches in the first half against the TCU Horned Frogs during the Alamo Bowl at Alamodome. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Honor Fa'alave-Johnson Recruiting Profile

Fa'alave-Johnson is the No. 1 athlete in the Rivals Industry Rankings, and he is also the No. 1 recruit out of California in the class of 2027. In the overall rankings regardless of position, Fa'alave-Johnson is ranked No. 18, per Rivals.

Not only is he a track athlete, but Fa'alave-Johnson has also played on both sides of the ball throughout his high school career. Starring as both a ball-carrier and a receiver, his athleticism stands out on the football field and helps explain his higher ranking. In addition to his production on offense, Fa'alave-Johnson seems to project as a defensive back in college. However, he might have the ability to become a two-way star at the next level.

Per 247Sports, Fa'alave-Johnson totaled 40 tackles, three interceptions, and a forced fumble on defense in 2025. On the other side of the ball, he rushed for 1,532 yards and 23 touchdowns on 150 carries, an average of over 10 yards per carry.

Oregon head coach Dan Lanning, left, and USC head coach Lincoln Riley shake hands before the game as the Oregon Ducks host the USC Trojans on Nov. 22, 2025, at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

While five-star recruits often have the athleticism and the sheer talent to make an impact on both offense and defense in high school, Fa'alave-Johnson's production stamps his case as the top player in California.

Oregon Ducks Recruiting Class

With the addition of four-star defensive lineman Zane Rowe on Friday, Oregon's recruiting class now sits at No. 8 in Rivals' rankings with six commits, currently.

• Zane Rowe, four-star defensive lineman
• Drew Fielder, four-star offensive lineman
• CaDarius McMiller, four-star running back
• Cam Pritchett, four-star defensive lineman
• Avery Michael, three-star offensive lineman
• Sam Ngata, three-star linebacker

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