USC Athletic Director Reveals Trojans' Progress in NIL Deals

The USC Trojans might have taken some time to adjust to the changes that name, image, and likeness (NIL) rules brought to the world of college athletics, but USC athletic director Jen Cohen recently revealed USC's progress in the NIL world.

USC Trojans Athletic Director on NIL Improvements

"Since July, USC student-athletes have engaged in more than 250 third-party NIL deals with more than 80 businesses. While engagement spans nearly every program, we are working to ensure all 23 programs secure NIL deals by the end of the year," Cohen wrote in The State of Troy letter, shared to the USC community on April 7.

usc trojans name image likeness nil jennifer cohen lincoln riley recruiting chad bowden lindsay gottlieb juju watkins — Nov 29, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley leads the Spirit of Troy marching band in a rendition of Tribute to Troy after teh game against the UCLA Bruins at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Trojans football coaching staff turned heads after signing the No. 1 overall recruiting class, according to every major outlet, and bringing in such an elite group of prospects requires some organization on the NIL front.

While signing the No. 1 recruiting class does not necessarily mean spending the most in NIL deals of any school, the Trojans most likely don't sign five-star prospects like tight end Mark Bowman, edge defender Luke Wafle, and offensive lineman Keenyi Pepe without some competitive NIL offers.

Meanwhile, the Trojans were also successful in bringing back a number of key pieces already on the roster, including quarterback Jayden Maiava and defensive linemen Jide Abasiri as well as Braylan Shelby. In addition, all five starters from USC's offensive line are returning for the 2026 season.

USC Trojans Investing NIL in Women's Sports

The concentration on USC's NIL efforts doesn't stop with the football team, though.

"Additionally, nearly 55 percent of these deals are with women's student-athletes. These engagements provide life-changing opportunities for our student-athletes, and we are eager to keep building an NIL infrastructure that helps Trojans grow their personal brands, leverage USC's global brand, and maximize their NIL opportunities," Cohen wrote.

The Trojans women's basketball team is probably the best example of USC's emphasis on women's sports. Star guard JuJu Watkins missed the entire 2025-26 season with a torn ACL, but USC freshman Jazzy Davidson followed in Watkins' footsteps winning National Freshman of the Year.

In USC coach Lindsay Gottlieb's recruiting class of 2026, the Trojans are bringing in three five-star recruits: Saniyah Hall, Sitaya Fagan, Sara Okeke. `

USC's women's basketball team was eliminated by South Carolina in the NCAA Tournament, but the return of Watkins alongside Davidson with newcomers like Hall, Fagan, and Okeke, the Trojans are expected to be one of the top teams in the nation.

For the Trojans' men's basketball program, coach Eric Musselman has had success in bringing in five-star recruits like forwards Alijah Arenas and Christian Collins. Additionally, Musselman and the Trojans were able to retain star guard Rodney Rice, who missed a majority of the 2025-26 season with injury.

The Trojans might have been slow starters when the NIL rules changed, but Cohen's comments seem to prove that USC is up to speed.

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