USC Lands California Receiver Commit Eli Woodard in Quietly Brilliant Move

The USC Trojans landed their second commitment of the 2027 recruiting cycle in three-star wide receiver Eli Woodard. He is the fifth in-state wide receiver recruit to commit to the Trojans since the arrival of general manager Chad Bowden.

Sep 10, 2022; Stanford, California, USA; USC Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley walks out of the tunnel for warmups before the start of the first quarter against the Stanford Cardinal at Stanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stan Szeto-Imagn Images | Stan Szeto-Imagn Images

The USC Trojans have landed their second commitment from the 2027 recruiting cycle in three-star wide receiver Eli Woodard. He's the first offensive player to commit to the Trojans' 2027 recruiting class.

At the wide receiver position specifically, the Trojans have made a conceited effort of bringing in more in-state talent. An in-state recruit, Woodard's commitment continues a growing trend for the Trojans as they continue to build a recruiting fence around California. It's a quietly brilliant move that continues the trend from their No. 1 ranked 2026 recruiting class.

Targeting top in-state wide receiver recruits

Dec 2, 2022; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley reacts in the first half of the Pac-12 Championship against the Utah Utes at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Trojans have made a point of emphasis to recruit California better. Since the arrival of general manager Chad Bowden, USC has seen their success at recruiting in-state prospects rise exponentially. For example, in their 2026 recruiting class, over half of their signees came from in state schools.

In their 2026 wide receiver class, they had four commits coming from in-state schools. By adding Woodard’s commitment, the Trojans further the trend of targeting the top in-state recruits and keeping them home. 

Eli Woodard's Recruiting Profile

Oct 28, 2023; Berkeley, California, USA; USC Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley walks on the field before a game against the California Golden Bears at California Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

Although Woodard doesn't hold a high ranking, the Trojans managed to identify him as one of their priority targets in the cycle. He was offered by USC last June and has been on the radar ever since. Woodward is ranked as the No. 70 wide receiver and No. 579 player in the country according to 247Sports' Composite rankings.

Woodard is currently ranked as the No. 9 wide receiver in California, but should see a nice boost if he has a strong showing during the spring 7-on-7 circuit and his upcoming senior season. He plays in an offense that features a four-star quarterback and two other nationally-ranked wide receivers at Chaparral. If the Pumas have a big season, it could bode well for his chances of bumping up to a four-star ranking.

There could be a strong argument made that Woodard has been out playing his current ranking, just based on the interest he’s received. His finalists included Michigan, Oregon, and Missouri in addition to USC. 

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USC's other 2027 offensive targets

Sep 1, 2024; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley reacts in the first half against the LSU Tigers at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Woodward isn't the only in-state wide receiver that USC has been aggressively pursuing in the 2027 recruiting cycle.

Four-star wide receiver Quentin Hale is ranked as the No. 10 wide receiver and No. 57 player in the country according to 247Sports' rankings. He is one of the Trojans' top targets for the cycle. Rivals' Recruiting Prediction Machine gives the Trojans a 57 percent chance of landing Hale.

At the tight end position, four-star Rahzario Edwards has been hearing extensively from USC. He is ranked as the No. 4 tight end and No. 76 player in the country. After landing two in-state tight end recruits during the 2026 cycle in four-star Mark Bowman and JUCO recruit Josiah Jefferson, the Trojans could look to add another in-state tight end with Edwards.