Only One USC Trojan Cracks Top 100 Prospects on Early NFL Draft Board

After the conclusion of the 2026 NFL Draft, many analysts and experts are already looking ahead to prospects for 2027.

In this year’s draft, the USC Trojans saw three players selected and several more signing undrafted free agent deals, showing the significant amount of NFL-caliber talent on the roster with hopes to see more players selected in next year’s draft.

One USC Trojan Top 100 2027 NFL Draft Big Board Quarterback Jayden Maiava Coach Lincoln Riley Big Ten 2026 Season — Nov 29, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans quarterback Jayden Maiava (14) carries the ball against the UCLA Bruins in the first half at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

One Trojan In Top 100 On 2027 Big Board

Heading into the summer, the NFL Mock Draft Database released its 2027 Consensus Big Board, which included USC quarterback Jayden Maiva ranked as the No. 35 player overall.

Maiava heads into his fourth collegiate season and is hoping to climb even higher than where he is currently ranked. As far as quarterbacks go, Maiava sits as the ninth overall quarterback, but with a standout season in 2026 could become one of the best quarterbacks in the class.

Notable quarterbacks Maiava will be competing with next season include Texas’s Arch Manning, Oregon’s Dante Moore, and Ohio State’s Julian Sayin, who all rank in the top five currently for the 2027 Consensus Big Board.

With Maiava playing in the Big Ten, he will have the chance to play against Moore and Sayin, who are both on the schedule for the Trojans next season. Maiava’s performance in those games should have a major impact on where he stands after the season concludes.

With great performances in those games, Maiava could not only help to raise his draft stock but also allow USC to win the Big Ten and qualify for the College Football Playoff, which would, without a doubt, be the best season the Trojans have had under coach Lincoln Riley.

Jayden Maiava’s Key Target In 2026

In order to be successful, Maiva will have to produce and build upon what he did during his 2025 campaign with the Trojans.

During 2025 with USC, Maiava recorded 3,711 passing yards, 24 touchdowns, 10 interceptions, and completed 65.8 percent of his passes. Through the air, Maiava showed that he could be very dangerous, and the more he develops, the more he has the potential to become the best quarterback in the Big Ten.

Maiava also brings great value on the ground as a rusher after adding 157 yards and six touchdowns as a rusher. Having the dual-threat ability that Maiava has could be something that gives opposing defenses an extra layer to think about.

As Maiava heads into next season, he will need to think about who will be his primary targets after the losses of wide receivers Makai Lemon and Ja’Kobi Lane, in addition to tight end Lake McRee to the NFL.

One option could be in the form of wide receiver Tanook Hines, who has already built chemistry with Maiava. Behind the NFL departures, Hines worked into being the third leading receiver for the Trojans as he recorded 34 receptions for 561 yards and two touchdowns.

Standing at 6-0 and 195 pounds, Hines can line up all over the field to be a target Maiava could go to in almost any situation. In the final game of the 2025 season in the Alamo Bowl against TCU, Hines totaled six receptions for 163 yards and clearly showed he can be a top receiver, which bodes well heading into 2026.

Jayden Maiava’s Path To 2026 Success

With next season on the horizon, there are two things that Maiava must do if he wants to lead USC to winning the Big Ten and allow himself to be one of the top quarterbacks in the class.

The biggest thing Maiava needs to do is improve his ball security after throwing 10 interceptions last season. The ability to make better decisions on tight throws and when to take a risk should help Maiave limit his turnovers and give USC the chance to win more of the tougher games on their schedule.

The second thing is developing chemistry with his new receivers, which will have a major impact on how he can perform next season. While Maiava has already developed a connection with Hines, he must find additional options.

Two other possibilities in the pass game are wide receiver Zacharyus Williams and tight end Tucker Ashcraft. Williams brings solid speed and physicality, and Ashcraft brings a significant amount of college experience, which could be very beneficial as Maiva heads into what many expect to be his final collegiate season.

As Maiava prepares for one of the most important seasons of his career, the ability to limit turnovers and create chemistry with his receivers will be critical if the Trojans want to find championship success and Maiava wants to be drafted near the top of the 2027 NFL Draft.

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