California Freshmen Who Turned Heads in USC Trojans Spring Practice

The USC Trojans saw a number of local freshmen generate plenty of buzz during spring practice.

Oct 28, 2023; Berkeley, California, USA; USC Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley before the game against the California Golden Bears at California Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

For the first time in the Lincoln Riley era at USC, the Trojans made significant noise on the recruiting trail in their own backyard. They landed an impressive haul of local prospects in the 2026 class. 

General manager Chad Bowden has not been shy about his approach to build a fence around the state in recruiting, the same way Pete Carroll did during the programs heyday in the 2000s. 

Offensive Standouts in the Spring 

Oct 28, 2023; Berkeley, California, USA; USC Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley before the game against the California Golden Bears at California Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

USC freshman receiver Trent Mosley was arguably the best player in the state of California last fall. He certainly has the hardware to back it up after being named the MaxPreps California Player of the Year and a first team All-American. The four-star recruit put together a playoff run for the ages at Santa Margarita (Calif.), which ended with an Open Division state championship, the highest division in California. 

Mosley just picked up where he left off and started drawing rave reviews from the very first week. He’s dynamic with the ball in his hands and the Makai Lemon comparisons have continued to ramp up and there’s a very good chance he replaces the Biletnikoff Award winner in the slot from day one. But he’s not the only freshmen receiver that generated buzz in the spring. 

Receiver Kayden Dixon-Wyatt was a major addition to the Trojans No. 1 class on signing day when he flipped his commitment from Ohio State. If former Buckeyes offensive coordinator and current USF head coach Brian Hartline wants you to play receiver for him, it’s very telling because of his impressive resume. The 6-foot-2, 195-pound Dixon-Wyatt is an explosive target on the outside with a wide catch radius. It’s going to be very hard to keep him off the field in the fall. 

It felt like for the last couple weeks of practice Tron Baker’s name was brought up almost every day. The three-star recruit made a strong impression on the veterans but also former USC All-American receiver and current assistant director of player development, Mike Williams. Four-star recruit Luc Weaver is another local receiver that made noise this spring. 

Sep 30, 2023; Boulder, Colorado, USA; USC Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley during the game against the Colorado Buffaloes at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Chet Strange-Imagn Images | Chet Strange-Imagn Images

There’s a reason why five-star tight end Mark Bowman was a highly sought-after prospect and he spent the past month showcasing why. The Mater Dei (Calif.) product is a great blend of size, speed and athleticism. Bowman’s position coach, Chad Savage, has spoken highly of his work ethic since he arrived on campus. Bowman is a versatile chess piece for head coach Lincoln Riley and is expected to be a day one starter. 

Four-star running back Deshonne Redeaux was banged up for a couple of weeks in the middle of spring practice, but when he was on the field, the Oaks Christian (Calif.) product was turning heads, specifically during the team's 14th practice. The Trojans posted a clip of how Redeaux ripping off a long, electric run and reportedly it wasn’t the only one that day. Redeaux has the capability to be a three-down back and is making a push to be third running back behind King Miller and Waymond Jordan. 

Offensive tackle Vlad Dyakonov was a four-star recruit himself but fell under the radar in an impressive class on the offensive line. Penn State transfer defensive end Zuriah Fisher pointed to Dyakonov as someone that gave him fits in practice. 

Defensive Standouts in the Spring 

Oct 21, 2023; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley watches from the sidelines against the Utah Utes in the first half at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Word quickly got around about safety Madden Riordan’s massive day on the practice field during the Trojans second week of practice. And from there, the Sierra Canyon (Calif.) product continued to take off. He shined in the teams scrimmage inside the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and showcased all spring his knack for forcing turnovers that made a decorated player in the state of California. Riordan drew lofty praise from Riley.

Riley also mentioned Baker and Riordan's high school teammate cornerback Brandon Lockhart has someone that progressed in the spring. Lockhart adds great length to the room with his 6-foot-2 frame. Jayden Crowder, one of three freshmen from Santa Margarita, is another local cornerback that had bright moments throughout the spring. 

Riley said during the final week of practice that he was pleased with the progression of the linebacker and how the depth is shaping up and freshmen Talanoa Ili and Shaun Scott are a big reason for that. Ili has elite size at 6-foot-3 and 225 pounds and is a tremendous athlete that can play rush the passer but also be a traditional off-ball linebacker. Scott was a second team MaxPreps All-American selection on the defensive line but has transitioned well to the linebacker position. 

Tomuhini “TomTom” Topui adds depth to interior of USC’s defensive line at 6-foot-3 and 325 pounds. He’s powerful but it’s his quickness that made an impression. Topui, Scott, Dixon-Wyatt and Bowman all come from national powerhouse Mater Dei.

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