Four-Star Receiver Hayden Koo Shares the Latest on Recruitment After Recent USC Offer

Tustin (Calif.) 2028 four-star receiver Hayden Koo has seen his recruiting profile skyrocket over the past couple of months.

Koo, the No. 160 overall prospect, No. 23 receiver and No. 10 player in California according to 247Sports, was at USC on June 11 for its invite-only workout. The local star was a standout player amongst a star-studded list of recruits that were on campus.

USC Enters the Mix

USC Trojans Lincoln Riley California Recruiting Hayden Koo Summer Unofficial Visit Spring Practice Ohio State Stanford — Nov 30, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley reacts against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the second half at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Trojans coach Lincoln Riley pulled Koo aside at the conclusion of the workout and extended him an offer.

“It felt great to get this offer,” Koo said. “I think USC is a big dream school for a lot of kids that live in the California area.”

Koo was in attendance for the Trojans win over Iowa last November. Even in the pouring rain that Saturday afternoon, Koo left impressed by the atmosphere inside the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. He returned for the first day of spring practice and got an in-depth look at the campus. Koo, who has a 4.6 GPA, is taking everything into account when viewing schools as his recruitment continues to ramp up.

“I’m a big academic guy and that degree really holds a huge weight,” Koo said. “And then knowing the alumni that come from there is huge, and there's a lot of connections that come in and out of football.”

Each visit to Southern Cal has also provided him an opportunity to get an up-close look and get to know inside receivers/tight ends coach Chad Savage. Koo spoke about what stands out about the Trojans coach.

“The way he goes about coaching and personal life," Koo said. "The way we're in meetings, really taking the time to get the information down to the other kids, especially on the field. One-on-one tips that you can get from him, and the energy that he brings to the practice.”

Other Recruiting Interest

It’s been a busy summer for Koo. Prior to being at USC, Koo worked out at Ohio State on June 9 and picked up an offer from the Buckeyes that day.

“A lot of people will consider them WRU," Koo said. "In my opinion, the top three would be Ohio State, LSU, and SC. Those could be changed around one through three. It was huge with what they show in the draft, and just the receivers that they have.”

Koo recently visited Stanford this past weekend and similar to USC, it’s not just the football perspective that standouts.

“The education is huge, but especially what they're doing over there with Andrew Luck, Coach [Tavita] Pritchard, and Brian Bratton," Koo said. “I think they're really going to do really well with the people that they have and their new staff. The campus is beautiful, it's a lot of greenery.“

June 15 marked the start of the direct college contact period with recruits in the 2028 class. Koo mentioned USC, UCLA, Oregon, Ohio State, Washington and Cal as schools that have been in constant contact with him since that date. And it’s something he’s not taking for granted.

“I worked for this. It's every kid's dream to get to this day and get a bunch of phone calls,” Koo said.

Disciplined Approach

Koo has a workmanlike approach. Everything that he does is goal and detail-oriented. It was something that was ingrained in him at a very young age.

His father, Edward, was a professional powerlifter and bodybuilder. He won Mr. World at 16 and 18 years old and then went on to train high-profile athletes in the sport from across the world. Koo grew up in a competitive environment. He began weightlifting at the age of five. It started with using a broomstick for six to eight months to work on form and then they gradually started to add weight.

“I really did enjoy it," Koo said. "It's fun to be lifting with my dad. I'd have just a bar on my back, but he would have 700 and something on his back. It was just cool to see him, grow up around that environment with a whole bunch of people like him.”

Koo has been fully committed to transforming his body this offseason. He went from 160 to 180 pounds to compliment his 6-foot-1 frame. He’s a workout junkie, whether that is in the weight room, speed training or working on his craft on the field.

“I always think I need more," Koo said. "It'll be speed lifting and football, then another football session after, it'll be like four trainings in one day. He'll have to try to hold me back sometimes from going to go train, but it's just how I am as a person.”

Koo writes down what he is eating and tracks his macros. He’s put an emphasis on making sure his body is right when he’s putting in extra work. Everything is being done with a relentless focus that was shaped early under the guidance of his father.

“The mentality that he brought upon me was huge, especially just the discipline, even when little things aren't going right,” Koo said. “Just stay focused, stay in your own lane, don't look at other people, it’s just not worth. The mentality of you got nothing to lose, just go out there and do your thing.”

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