Electric Freshman Who Could Bolster USC Trojans Running Back Room

USC hosted several high school coaches, alumni and recruits for its second-to-last spring practice.

Following the conclusion of practice and the hours that followed, there was one freshman they could not stop raving about, four-star running back Deshonne Redeaux.

Deshonne Redeaux Turns Heads in the Spring

USC Trojans Lincoln Riley Waymond Jordan Deshonne Redeaux Spring Practice King Miller Shahn Alston Football Schedule — Sep 7, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; USC Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley reacts against the Utah State Aggies during the second quarter at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Hui-Imagn Images | Jonathan Hui-Imagn Images

The Trojans had posted a long breakaway run of Redeaux from the practice on social media and according to those that were in-attendance, it wasn’t the only one from Redeaux that day.

“He did what we saw him do on his high school tape,” said running back coach Anthony Jones in April. “He was explosive playmaker in high school, and he did that just right here on the college campus as well.”

The Oaks Christian (Calif.) product was a highly touted top 100 prospect in the 2026 class. Rivals rated him as the No. 4 running back. He was a standout all four years at the high school level on both sides of the ball and a player the Trojans put a priority on signing.

Redeaux has tremendous short area quickness, agility, vision and power with his 5-foot-10, 205-pound frame. He’s a great route runner out of the backfield and has three-down capability. Redeaux battled an injury midway through the spring, but when he was on the field, the local star proved to be one of several freshmen that could contribute immediately in the fall.

Running Back Depth

Last season, Waymond Jordan, the No. 1 ranked JUCO running back in the 2025 cycle, was an instant hit for the Trojans. However, an ankle injury in early October ended his season early.

In his absence, King Miller went from fourth-string walk-on to one of the top running backs in the Big Ten. Both of them return in 2026 but the question is which young back emerges as the No. 3 back.

Redshirt freshman Riley Wormley saw extended playing time the final two games and of the season after recovering from a significant knee injury he suffered midway through his senior season. The Lone Star State native is going through his first healthy offseason with the Trojans.

Redeaux wasn’t the only four-star running back USC signed in the 2026 class. Shahn Alston, an Ohio native, was one of several freshmen the Trojans signed from the Midwest.

USC Trojans Recruiting Freshman Early Enrollee Deshonne Redeaux Injury Spring Practice Shahn Alston Anthony Jones — USC Trojans freshman running backs Shahn Alston and Deshonne Redeaux | USC Trojans on SI

“They were highly recruited, they were really good high school players, but they are very mature for their age,” Jones said. “They came in like they were second to third year guys in the program. They're very active in meetings. They pay attention a lot and ask the right questions, and they lean on the older guys for information.

“They really embrace the role of being a freshman, being a new guy, and really just being a sponge. They want to soak up as much knowledge as they can. They want to be coached on they want to be the best version of themselves.”

Having a strong run game will be pivotal, especially early in the season as quarterback Jayden Maiava adjusts to working with almost an entirely new group of pass-catchers. And Lincoln Riley's most successful offenses have been the ones that can run the ball effectively at a high rate.

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