The Biggest Question USC Faces at Wide Receiver

Star receivers Makai Lemon and Ja'Kobi Lane are headed off to the NFL. With their departure, what is the outlook of the USC Trojans receiver room for quarterback Jayden Maiava.

Oct 11, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; USC Trojans quarterback Jayden Maiava (14) warms up prior to the game against the Michigan Wolverines at United Airlines Field at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Biletnikoff Award winner Makai Lemon and fellow USC wide receiver Ja’Kobi Lane are headed off to the NFL. The two star pass-catchers were the Trojans' leading receivers the past two seasons. 

Jaden Richardson and Jay Fair have exhausted their eligibility, while Prince Strachan and DJ Jordan entered the transfer portal. With several departures, did USC retool enough at receiver for quarterback Jayden Maiava to take that next step in his final season? 

Returning Production and Transfer Portal Additions 

Oct 11, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; USC Trojans quarterback Jayden Maiava (14) warms up prior to the game against the Michigan Wolverines at United Airlines Field at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Tanook Hines beat out several veterans in fall camp and was the Trojans No. 3 receiver. He was someone Maiava had a lot of trust in early, and the Houston native finished third on the team in receptions and receiving yards. 

His breakout performance against Oregon in late November, where he caught six passes for 141 yards and a touchdown, followed by a six-catch 163-yard outing against TCU in Alamo Bowl showed is ready to become Southern Cal's new No. 1 receiver.

USC added former NC State receiver Terrell Anderson during the transfer portal window last month. Anderson, a former top 100 recruit in the 2024 cycle, brings some much-needed experience to the receiver room, having appeared in every game for the Wolfpack over the past two seasons. 

MORE: Intriguing 4-Star Quarterback Recruit Reveals USC Visit Date

MORE: One Overlooked Matchup on the USC Trojans' Schedule

MORE: Effect of Potential College Football Playoff Expansion on USC-Notre Dame Rivalry

After a breakout sophomore season in 2025, where he caught 39 passes for 629 yards and five touchdowns, Anderson is budding star that will benefit from being Lincoln Riley's offense. His proven production as an underclassman at the Power 4 level made him a top target for USC in the portal. Anderson and Hines project as the team’s top two receivers and their continued development are vital to Maiava in the fall. 

Zacharyus Williams was the first receiver in the rotation last season until a significant upper body in week 2 kept him out until late November. Williams. He caught only three passes but was able a redshirt. The Utah transfer will take part in spring practice and have the opportunity to work with Maiava, something he didn’t have a year ago. 

Hines was one of three blue-chip receivers USC signed in 2025. Corey Simms saw action in all 13 games but was primarily a special teams player. Simms gives the Trojans another big target with his 6-foot-3 and 205-pound frame. Simms took part in spring practice last year and has officially had a full year in the program. Ison appeared in one game last season. 

Talented Group of Freshmen Receivers

DeSoto's Ethan Feaster warms up after halftime during Friday's game at the Alamodome on Sept. 13, 2024, in San Antonio, Texas. | Angela Piazza/Caller-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Four-star Trent Mosley was part of a wave of commitments in the spring. He was the focal point of Santa Margarita's (Calif.) impressive playoff run that saw them win the Open Division State Championship, which earned him California MaxPreps Player of the Year honors. Mosley is dynamic with the ball in his hands and gives the Trojans a skillset that is very similar to Lemon.  

With most of 2026 recruiting class assembled before the summer, it allowed USC to focus its attention to a handful of elite prospects, including DeSoto (Texas) four-star Boobie Feaster, the No. 4 ranked receiver in the 247Sports Composite Rankings. 

Feaster, a three-time MaxPreps All-American, is a three-level threat as a pass-catcher. He’s young for the class after reclassifying from the 2027 cycle, but the Lone Star State native is college ready. 

One prospect the Trojans never gave up on was Mater Dei (Calif.) four-star Kayden Dixon-Wyatt, the No. 6 receiver, per 247Sports. They were able to flip the former Ohio State commit on the first day of the early signing period in December. Dixon-Wyatt is an explosive target and offers the ability to play inside or outside. All three freshmen receivers are a big reason why USC wasn’t active in the portal. 

Aug 31, 2024; Columbus, OH, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes recruits Kayden Dixon-Wyatt and Chris Henry Jr. walk onto the field prior to the NCAA football game against the Akron Zips at Ohio Stadium. Ohio State won 52-6. | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Sherman Oaks (Calif.) Notre Dame four-star Luc Weaver is a gem in the 2026 class with a great blend of size and speed at 6-foot-3 and 205 pounds. Weaver continued to move up the recruiting rankings over the last year and gives USC its fourth receiver inside top 300 prospects, per the 247Sports Composite Rankings. 

Three-star Ja’Myron Baker has been on the national radar since he was in eight grade, and the Sierra Canyon (Calif.) was the Trojans first commit in the class. He gives them another explosive target and Opelousas Catholic (La.) three-star Roderick Tezeno does a great job of using his basketball background to pair with his ability to stretch a defense vertically.

It’s not unrealistic to expect one of the six freshmen to finish next season as a Freshman All-American. 

Riley’s Air Raid requires depth at receiver. Last season, USC rotated around four to five receivers, mainly to keep Lennon and Lane on the field. In previous seasons, Riley used anywhere from six to eight receivers. It’s more likely Riley goes back to the latter.