The Relationships That Led to USC Landing Freshman Receiver Boobie Feaster

Relationships still carry a ton of weight on the recruiting trail, even in this day and age of college football.

USC four-star signee Boobie Feaster was highly coveted coming out of DeSoto (Texas) in the 2026 class and held over 50 offers, which started to pour in when he was in the seventh grade. The Trojans went all-in on Feaster, and several key relationships help them land the blue-chip prospect.

Impressions of USC Staff

USC Trojans Lincoln Riley Recruiting Boobie Feaster Official Visit Oklahoma Sooners Jonas Williams Dennis Simmons Chad Bowden — Sep 2, 2023; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley (leff) and wide receivers coach Dennis Simmons react against the Nevada Wolf Pack in the second half at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Feaster’s relationship with receivers coach Dennis Simmons began when he was in the seventh grade and the Trojans coach was on the staff at Oklahoma with Lincoln Riley.

The Lone Star State native visited USC the summer before his freshman season. He bonded with Simmons’ son, Kannon, during his trip and his time around Simmons in 2023 had a major impact on his recruitment as their relationship continued to blossom over the years.

Feaster is well aware of Simmons’ resume when it comes to developing receivers. Former Texas Tech receiver Michael Crabtree became the first two-time Biletnikoff Award winner under Simmons and Riley, nearly two decades ago. Dede Westbrook won the Biletnikoff Award and was a Heisman Trophy candidate at Oklahoma.

Marquise Brown and CeeDee Lamb were All-Americans that became first round draft picks with the Sooners. At USC, Jordan Addison was a first-round draft pick and Simmons recently mentored Makai Lemon and Ja’Kobi Lane.

Feaster continued to echo a sentiment that the incoming freshman class has preached about who Riley is as a person.

“He a real caring guy,” Feaster said. “If you call him, he’s going to answer on that first ring. He really cares about his players.”

Chad Bowden was in his first season as the Trojans general manager in 2025 and immediately changed the vibe around the program and recruits took notice. His personality is infectious and his authenticity has resonated with prospects.

“Chad real cool, I like Chad," Feaster said. "He’s like another coach, he loves being around us. He’s real fun to be around."

Impact of Quarterback Jonas Williams

USC Trojans Lincoln Riley Sam Huard Jonas Williams Spring Practice Freshman Early Enrollee Recruiting Class — USC Trojans freshman quarterback Jonas Williams | USC Trojans on SI

The Trojans had a majority of its 2026 recruiting class assembled heading into last summer.

It allowed them to put all of their focus on recruiting a handful of blue-chip prospects to complete their No. 1 class, which included Feaster. The Lone Star State native took his official visit the first weekend in June and received a surprise visit from four-star quarterback Jonas Williams, who was in town specifically to recruit Feaster.

Williams had his official visit scheduled for the following weekend but made the trip from Illinois to Los Angeles to put on his recruiting hat. Feaster had no idea that Williams was going to be in town. The USC freshman signal-caller had quickly established himself as one of the leaders of the 2026 class after flipping his commitment from Oregon in February 2025.

“Understanding that I got a quarterback that supported me and really wanted me to come was definitely big,” Feaster said.

The Trojans were one of four official visits that Feaster took last summer but after getting another in-depth look at the program, USC began building momentum and landed his commitment on the Fourth of July.

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