Five USC Trojans Newcomers Receiving National Attention

Throughout the offseason, the USC Trojans and coach Lincoln Riley have added talent through both the transfer portal and high school recruiting. With these additions, USC could be in a position to compete near the top of the Big Ten and build a successful program for next season and moving forward.

With spring practices concluded across the country, ESPN ranked the top 100 newcomers, which included a few Trojans on offense and defense.

According to ESPN’s rankings, the Trojans have three top 100 newcomers on offense in transfer wide receiver Terrell Anderson who ranked No. 44, freshman tight end Mark Bowman sitting at No. 59, and freshman offensive tackle Keenyi Pepe ranking No. 79. On the defensive side, ESPN ranked two players for USC in the top 100, including defensive end Luke Wafle at No. 46 and cornerback Jontez Williams at No. 77.

USC Trojans Offseason Additions Lincoln Riley Big Ten Terrell Anderson Mark Bowman Keenyi Pepe Luke Wafle Jontez Williams — Sep 20, 2025; Durham, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina State Wolfpack wide receiver Terrell Anderson (9) runs the ball during the second quarter against Duke Blue Devils cornerback Landan Callahan (21) at Wallace Wade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Zachary Taft-Imagn Images | Zachary Taft-Imagn Images

Wide Receiver Terrell Anderson

One of the more interesting additions seems to be Anderson at wide receiver, who transfers from NC State and could help to fill the void that USC has at receiver following the loss of Makai Lemon and Ja’Kobi Lane to the NFL. Last season, Anderson put his explosive play ability on display as he recorded 39 receptions for 629 yards and five touchdowns while averaging 16.1 yards per catch.

For the Trojans, being able to give quarterback Jayden Maiava a weapon like Anderson could help to add more explosiveness to an offense that already contains great skill players like fellow receiver Tanook Hines and the running back duo of Waymond Jordan and King Miller. On the newcomer list, Anderson was ranked as the 13th receiver, and if he can build on his 2025 campaign, Anderson could become one of USC’s top perimeter targets.

Tight End Mark Bowman

The Trojans also had a need at tight with the departure of Lake McRee to the NFL and Walker Lyons to the transfer portal. With that in mind, the addition of a player like tight end Mark Bowman could give Riley a great option at tight end to become a great threat next season, but also become a valuable weapon for USC for years to come. In this ranking, Bowman was the No. 2 tight end, which indicates that he could contribute as soon as 2026.

Bowman is an interesting prospect in the sense that he reclassified and opted to forgo his senior season at Mater Dei in an effort to start his collegiate career a year earlier. In Bowman’s final season with Mater Dei, he totaled 31 receptions for 370 yards and two touchdowns. With the experience Bowman gained at Mater Dei and the opportunity he has in Riley’s offense, there is no question that Bowman could emerge as USC’s top tight end next season.

Offensive Tackle Keenyi Pepe

Heading into next season, the Trojans do have the entire starting offensive line returning from 2025, but it is never too early to add talent for the future, which is why USC added offensive tackle Keenyi Pepe. During 2026, Pepe has a great opportunity to learn from veteran players like Elijah Paige on how to be successful at the college level, but he could also compete for a rotational role.

Standing at 6-7 and 330 pounds, Pepe has the frame to be successful in a conference like the Big Ten, which is indicated by being ranked as the No. 8 offensive tackle on this list. Based on the size that Pepe has, in addition to the opportunity to learn from other players like Paige, it looks like Pepe has a great opportunity to contribute in a big way on USC’s offensive line as early as 2026.

Defensive End Luke Wafle

On the defensive side of the ball, one of the more intriguing additions is defensive end Luke Wafle, who looks to be in a great position to become a solid rotational player for the Trojans next season on the defensive line. A major reason for Wafle’s opportunity to fit into USC’s defensive line rotation is how productive he was in his senior season, as he totaled 99 tackles, 37 tackles for loss, and 23 sacks.

With that kind of production in addition to his 6-6 and 265-pound frame, there is a great chance that Wafle could become one of the more disruptive players in the Big Ten and potentially in the country. As one of the top recruits in the 2026 class, Wafle may have a lot of pressure to perform, but under defensive coordinator Gary Patterson, USC could be exactly where Wafle needs to be to live up to his potential.

Cornerback Jontez Williams

The Trojans were also able to add a solid piece in the secondary with the addition of Iowa State transfer cornerback Jontez Williams, who not only made the top 100 newcomer list, but also comes in as the No. 3 corner on the list. In a conference like the Big Ten, having great corners has almost become a requirement to be successful, and after bringing in a player like Williams, USC could take a major step forward against opposing passing attacks.

In Williams’ time at Iowa State, he had great ball production as he totaled five interceptions and 15 pass breakups. As a cornerback, the ability to consistently make plays on the ball is very valuable, which is a major reason why Williams could become one of the more important pieces on USC’s defense.

Sign up to our free newsletter and follow us on Facebook, and X for the latest news.

Add us as a preferred source on Google