Why Lincoln Riley's Success Developing Quarterbacks Could Land Top Recruit

USC Trojans top 2028 quarterback prospect Donald Tabron will visit USC for Saturday's matchup against the No. 15 Michigan Wolverines. Could USC coach Lincoln Riley's success at developing quarterbacks be key in Tabron choosing the Trojans?

Donald Tabron II, 16, a quarterback at Cass Technical High School, throws a football during a private workout in Detroit on Saturday, June 21, 2025. | David Rodriguez Munoz / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

As the USC Trojans host the No. 15 Michigan Wolverines on Saturday night at a sold-out Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, the Trojans are hosting four-star quarterback Donald Tabron over the weekend.

USC Four-Star Quarterback Target Set to Visit

Sep 27, 2025; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley talks with players during the first half against the Illinois Fighting Illini at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-Imagn Images | Ron Johnson-Imagn Images

According to On3's Greg Smith, 2028 four-star quarterback recruit Donald Tabron will be at the Coliseum for USC's matchup against Michigan on Saturday night. Tabron is a talented quarterback recruit of Cass Technical High School in Detroit, Michigan. He is just the latest of several talented prospects who have made game day visits to USC this season.

Several other Big Ten schools, along with USC, have offered Tabron, including Michigan State, Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Oregon, Penn State, Purdue, and Wisconsin.

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Tabron is a talented quarterback recruit of Cass Technical High School in Detroit, Michigan. In his freshman season at Cass Tech, Tabron played in 11 games, throwing for 1656 yards, 17 touchdowns, and seven interceptions, including a 65.2 completion percentage.

Tabron led Cass Tech to the MHSAA Division I State Championship, winning over Hudsonville.

Detroit Cass Tech QB Donald Tabron II (19) celebrates Corey Sadler Jr.’s (1) touchdown against Hudsonville in the second quarter during the MHSAA Division 1 football finals at Ford Field in Detroit on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. | Kimberly P. Mitchell / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Through six games of his sophomore season, Tabron has led Cass Tech to a 6-0 start, which has included a No. 1 high school ranking in Michigan. Cass Tech is also the No. 21-ranked high school team in the nation, according to MaxPreps, and much of this is due to Tabron's talent at quarterback.

Tabron and Cass Tech will look to achieve the same success they did last season with a second consecutive Division I State Championship.

Riley's Recent Success Recruiting and Developing Quarterbacks

Sep 13, 2025; West Lafayette, Indiana, USA; Southern California Trojans quarterback Jayden Maiava (14) talks with Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley before the game against the Purdue Boilermakers at Ross-Ade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images | Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images

Riley has seen success with recruiting quarterbacks during his time at USC, as he has future talent coming to Los Angeles in the Trojans 2026 recruiting class.

Riley has another quarterback from the Midwest coming to USC next season. Four-star Lincoln-Way East quarterback Jonas Williams from Frankfort Heights, Illinois, is set to arrive in 2026. Williams will also be on USC's campus for the Michigan game as a number of Trojans commits are making the trip.

Williams will join a loaded quarterback room that is likely to feature current starter Jayden Maiava and freshman backup Husan Longstreet. Williams has the potential to be a star for USC, as he recently broke an Illinois state high school record for most touchdowns in his career.

With Riley's track record of developing quarterbacks into NFL-caliber players, USC is bound to be one of the top landing spots for Tabron and can develop the Cass Tech product into the quarterback of its future.

In his coaching career with Oklahoma and USC, Riley has had three quarterbacks who have won the Heisman Trophy and been selected No. 1 overall in the NFL Draft. Baker Mayfield, Kyler Murray, and Caleb Williams were the three to play under Riley to achieve that honor.