5-Star Quarterback Recruit Ryder Lyons Close To Committing To USC Trojans, Lincoln Riley?

Folsom (Calif.) five-star quarterback recruit Ryder Lyons has been busy this spring, taking unofficial visits to Michigan, Oregon, Ohio State, BYU and Ole Miss.

As Lyons’ recruitment continues to heat up as we head into the summer months, On3 has logged an expert prediction for the USC Trojans to land the highly coveted quarterback.

Lyons is the No. 3 quarterback, No. 6 overall prospect and No. 1 player in the state of California according to the 247Sports Composite Rankings.

St. Bonaventure's Dylan Dunst tackles Folsom quarterback Ryder Lyons during the fourth quarter of the CIF-State Division 1-A state championship bowl at Saddleback College in Mission Viejo on Saturday, Dec. 9, 2023. St. Bonaventure lost 20-14. | JOE LUMAYA/SPECIAL TO THE STAR / USA TODAY NETWORK

Lyons repped a USC towel while he took part in the Rivals Camp Series Los Angeles in early March. The Northern California native was back on campus last week, where he has been a frequent visitor over the years. His older brother, Walker, is a sophomore tight end for the Trojans.

The Trojans hold a commitment from Lyons’ high school teammate, four-star offensive tackle Vlad Dyakonov. Freshman tight end Taniela Tupou also comes from Folsom (Calif.) and is currently participating in spring ball.

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USC was able to flip Lincoln-Way East (Ill.) four-star quarterback Jonas Williams from Oregon in late February, but because Lyons will take an LDS mission, just like Walker did following high school, the younger Lyons will not enroll until the spring of 2027.

The Trojans have signed two quarterbacks in the same recruiting class twice over the last decade, Sam Darnold and Ricky Town in 2015, and then Jaxson Dart and Miller Moss in 2021. In both cases, one quarterback was gone by the start of the next season, but this situation would be different because Williams and Lyons would not be enrolling the same year.

“They did just flip Jonas Williams, but to be honest, I’m not very scared of competition,”Lyons told Rivals in March. “There’s gonna be competition anywhere I go, so I’m gonna have to compete. I know that, I’m very confident in myself.”

Nov 16, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley watches game action against the Nebraska Cornhuskers during the second half at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Since the addition of general manager Chad Bowden in January and a highly ambitious front office, the Trojans have been relentless on the recruiting trail in their pursuit of top prospects, particularly in the state of California. There's no doubt the vibe around the program has changed drastically and blue-chip prospects from across the country have taken notice and are jumping at the opportunity to be a part of something special being built in Los Angeles.

They currently hold 23 commitments in their No. 1 ranked recruiting class for the 2026 cycle, which includes seven recruits ranked inside the top 100 prospects in the 247Sports Composite Rankings.

Gainesville (Ga.) five-star linebacker Xavier Griffin, Rancho Cucamonga (Calif.) five-star cornerback RJ Sermons, Santa Margarita (Calif.) four-star EDGE Simote Katoanga, Richardson (Texas) four-star defensive lineman Jaimeon Winfield, Loyola (Calif.) four-star cornerback Brandon Lockhart, Oaks Christian (Calif.) four-star running back Deshonne Redeaux and Mater Dei (Calif.) four-star defensive lineman Tomuhini Topui.

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