The Biggest Question USC Faces at Tight End

After years of pushing, the USC Trojans found the production at the tight end position that Lincoln Riley had been waiting for this past season. But with a pair of key departures, one major question looms in the Trojans new-look tight ends room.

Jul 24, 2025; Las Vegas, NV, USA; USC head coach Lincoln Riley speaks to the media during the Big Ten NCAA college football media days at Mandalay Bay Resort. Mandatory Credit: Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images | Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images

USC Trojans tight ends coach Chad Savage was influential in the tight ends becoming a key part of the USC's offense this past season, and Savage was rewarded with a promotion to passing game coordinator this month, while still maintaining his current duties. 

Former Trojans tight end Lake McRee had his best season and positioned himself to be selected in April’s NFL Draft. Fellow former USC tight end Walker Lyons complimented McRee very well, giving the Trojans two reliable targets at the position, but the sophomore transferred to BYU. 

Revamped Tight End Room After Key Losses

Jul 24, 2025; Las Vegas, NV, USA; USC head coach Lincoln Riley speaks to the media during the Big Ten NCAA college football media days at Mandalay Bay Resort. Mandatory Credit: Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images | Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images

USC will have a new-look tight end room with its top two players at the position moving on. Can Southern Cal replicate the success they had been searching for at tight end or even surpass it? 

Five-star Mark Bowman headlines the newcomers. The Mater Dei (Calif.) product is one of the prized recruits in the Trojans No. 1 ranked recruiting class. Bowman drew comparisons to Las Vegas Raiders tight end Brock Bowers throughout the recruiting process because of his elite blend of size, speed and athleticism. 

The 6-foot-5, 225-pound Bowman was attendance for every home game last fall, other than USC’s Friday night win over Northwestern in early November, and saw first hand the tight end usage. 

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He can be an offensive chess piece for Riley with his ability to be attached on the line of scrimmage, play in the slot or flex out wide. Bowman will go through three rounds of offseason workouts and if he can add another 15 to 20 pounds and maintain his athleticism, fans won’t have to wait and see why he was so coveted in the 2026 cycle. 

Four-star Josiah Jefferson was the No. 1 ranked JUCO tight end this past season. Still relatively new to football, having just played his senior season of high school, Jefferson has a ton of untapped potential. He’s incredibly athletic and knows how to use his basketball background. 

Sep 20, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley watches game action against the Michigan State Spartans during the second half at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Jefferson is someone that can benefit a ton from having 15 practices this spring with Savage. 

USC added Wisconsin transfer Tucker Ashcraft, who has played in 16 games for the Badgers over the last two seasons with six starts, during the singular transfer portal window.  

Returning Players in Tight End Room

Nov 29, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley (right) talks with quarterback Jayden Maiava (14) in the second half against the UCLA Bruins at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Nela Tupou continued to progress throughout his true freshman season and moved up the depth chart. He was the team’s third tight end behind McRee and Lyons for the regular season finale against UCLA. The Folsom (Calif.) product played the most snaps at the position in the Alamo Bowl and caught two passes for 26 yards. 

Carson Tabaracci returned this past season after missing the entire 2024 campaign with a season-ending injury. The rising redshirt senior saw action in 10 games. Walter Matthews saw action in 11 games as primarily a special teams contributor. The 6-foot-6, 285-pound Matthews is entering his third year with the program. 

USC coach Lincoln Riley utilized a lot of two tight end personnel in 2025 than any other year since he became the Trojans head man in 2022 because of the elevation of the room. McRee and Lyons were a security blanket for quarterback Jayden Maiava but also showed the ability to create explosive plays. Making that the new norm is a priority.