USC's Program Rise Fueled By Recruiting Dominance in Key Region

USC made waves in the 2026 recruiting cycle when they signed the No. 1 class.

The Trojans landed an impressive haul of out-of-state recruits such as defensive end Luke Wafle, defensive tackle Jaimeon Winfield, cornerback Rock Hill, receiver Boobie Feaster and offensive lineman Breck Kolojay.

USC Trojans Recruiting Class Lincoln Riley Danny Lang Mater Dei Southern California Mekai Brown Gavin Williams Official Visit — Jul 24, 2025; Las Vegas, NV, USA; USC head coach Lincoln Riley speaks to the media during the Big Ten NCAA college football media days at Mandalay Bay Resort. Mandatory Credit: Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images | Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images

However, the biggest change in USC’s recruiting surge came with their success in landing elite local prospects. For years, most notably during the NIL era, other programs had built stronger recruiting footprints than the Trojans in their own backyard. But everything shifted in the 2026 class.

Southern Cal built a pipeline in the Trinity League, headlined by tight end Mark Bowman, receivers Kayden Dixon-Wyatt and Trent Mosley and defensive tackle Tomuhini Topui. The Trojans landed several other local stars, including running back Deshonne Redeaux, cornerback Brandon Lockhart and receiver Luc Weaver.

USC has also made it a priority to bring a pair of Southern California natives home, offensive tackle Keenyi Pepe and linebacker Talanoa Ili.

But it’s not enough to do something once. In order to change a narrative, it has become the new norm. In the 2027 class, the Trojans hold a commitment from five of the 10 prospects and six of the top 13 prospects in the state, according to 247Sports. No other school has more than one in that span.

Top Commits From California

USC Trojans Chad Bowden Recruitment Mater Dei Danny Lang Trovon Reed Aaryn Washington Mark Bowman Spring Practice Visit — Mater Dei (Calif.) 2027 cornerback and USC Trojans commit Danny Lang | USC Trojans on SI

The strength of USC’s recruiting class is in the secondary.

Southern Cal had four defensive backs atop their recruiting board and landed all four. San Diego (Calif.) Cathedral Catholic five-star Honor Fa’alave-Johnson is the No. 1 athlete in the country. He will play safety at the collegiate level but is also expected to find a role on offense. Damien (Calif.) four-star Gavin Williams, the No. 6 safety, chose the Trojans over Notre Dame and UCLA.

USC battled Big Ten schools Oregon and Ohio State to land Mater Dei (Calif.) four-star Danny Lang, the No. 4 cornerback. Before transferring to IMG Academy (Fla.) in January, Aaryn “J.O.” Washington, the No. 10 cornerback, starred in the same secondary as Lang at Mater Dei. He was the Trojans' first commit in the 2027 class.

Corona Centennial (Calif.) four-star receiver Quentin Hale is the third top 50 overall prospect for USC in this current class, joining Fa’alave-Johnson and Lang. The 6-3, 192-pound Hale gives the Trojans a big-bodied target

Servite (Calif.) four-star offensive tackle and top 100 prospect Drew Fielder was the third recruit USC flipped from Oregon in the past two cycles. Fielder is also the lone offensive line commit in the class. Oaks Christian (Calif.) four-star defensive tackle Alifeleti “Tolo” Tuihalamaka has climbed the rankings this offseason.

Overview of Recruiting Class

USC Trojans general manager Chad Bowden hired from Notre Dame Fighting Irish | USC Trojans Video Youtube

The Trojans won’t finish in the top 10 simply because of their number of commitments. A year after signing 35 recruits, USC has a total of 14 commitments in the 2027 class. And they only plan on taking one or two more recruits.

Greenwich County Day (Conn.) five-star edge Mekai Brown and Hamilton (Ariz.) four-star receiver and top 100 prospect Roye Oliver III, the MaxPreps Sophomore of the Year, headline their out-of-state commits.

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