How NIL Is Fueling Lincoln Riley, USC Trojans Recruiting Class Ranking

The USC Trojans have been a top team with recruiting, having elite momentum with the class of 2026. USC coach Lincoln Riley is bringing in the top players and not slowing down. The team is already looking ahead at the class of 2027 as well.

The class of 2026 is ranked No. 1 in the nation, which is substantially higher than USC’s class of 2025 which is ranked No. 15. The recent commitment of five-star tight end Mark Bowman pushed USC back to the No. 1 spot.

On3’s Steve Wiltfong on the Wiltfong Whiparound discussed the success of the Trojans and how the program is using Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) deals to secure a bright future.

Dec 27, 2024; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley holds the championship trophy after the game against the Texas A&M Aggies at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

“There’s a lot of excitement around this program,” Wiltfong said. “In the NIL era, USC is as powerful as any program in the country right now.”

Wiltfong related the commitment of Bowman to how well USC is doing with recruiting. Bowman is the No. 12 recruit in the nation, the No. 1 tight end, and the No. 2 recruit in California, per the On3 Industry Ranking. He was heavily recruited by the top programs in the nation, including the Texas Longhorns and the Georgia Bulldogs.

Bowman is projected to earn $8-10 million over his USC career, according to reports from On3's Scott Schrader. NIL is a major aspect of recruiting, and the Trojans are using it as an advantage and bringing in the top athletes. Wiltfong argues that even with the growth of NIL and how much money players can earn, programs still need to be high-performing to bring in the top athletes.

MORE: USC Trojans, Lincoln Riley Soar To Top Of Recruiting Rankings: Mark Bowman Commit

MORE: USC Trojans Lose To Oregon State In Corvallis Regional Final, Now Face Elimination

MORE: USC Trojans, Lincoln Riley's Biggest Recruiting Weapon?

“Look, it’s modern recruiting. Now, I know people are going to say that USC bought Mark Bowman. You don’t get into these recruitments, you don’t get into these positions without a product to sell on the football field first and foremost,” Wiltfong said.

“Bowman has aspirations of playing football at the highest level, being drafted in the first round and if he didn’t believe that USC was a place and offense and a program that could get the best football out of him on the football field, they wouldn’t have been at the table.”

USC hired general manager Chad Bowden following the 2024 season. Bowden has made a major impact on the Trojans recruiting efforts. When hired, Bowden made it clear USC was going to step up with recruiting.

Nov 16, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley watches game action against the Nebraska Cornhuskers during the second half at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

The class of 2026 has earned 27 commitments, which feature one five-star and 16 four-star recruits. USC did recruit five-star cornerback Elbert Hill with the class of 2026 as well, but Hill reclassified to join the class of 2025. Of the 27 commitments, 63 percent have been in-state. USC is doing an impressive job as the team hopes to be in College Football Playoff contention for the next several years.

“I think that they’ve gotten tighter with their infrastructure. I think that they were able to show this past season that they were a team on the rise. I think that they’ve hired terrific assistant coaches across the board, lost some of those terrific hires from last season, but replaced them with great hires again,” Wiltfong said.

RECOMMENDED ARTICLES