USC Trojans Coach Addresses GM Chad Bowden Impact, 'Special' Recruiting Class

The USC Trojans have assembled an impressive recruiting class in the 2026 cycle.

USC holds 30 commitments, six more than the next closest, and 22 of which are blue-chip recruits (four or five-stars), according to the 247Sports Composite Rankings.

Elbert Hill — Archbishop Hoban's Elbert 'Roc' Hill IV runs with the ball in the first half of a football game against Central York at Panthers Stadium on Oct. 18, 2024, in Springettsbury Township. | Dan Rainville / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Trojans have positioned themselves to finish with a top five recruiting class for the first time since the 2018 cycle and the No. 1 ranked class for the first time since the 2015 cycle.

It would certainly be a massive accomplishment, especially for a program that has finished inside the top 10 just once (2023) since USC coach Lincoln Riley has arrived in Los Angeles. However, defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn isn’t concerned with where the Trojans finish in the recruiting rankings.

When piecing together their recruiting class, USC hasn’t focused on where a prospect is ranked or how many stars are attached to their name, but rather trusting it’s own evaluations.

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"This class is going to be a special class. I know that everyone is advertising this as the No. 1 recruiting class in the country,” Lynn said an interview with Mason & Ireland on ESPN LA Radio. “I don't really get caught up in where we are ranked. I just want the right kids, obviously from what they can do on the field but then who they are off the field.

"I feel like with the new general manager Chad [Bowden] and the scouting department being aligned with the coaching staff, we've been able to go after not just talent but going after the right type of kids that we want in this program. You look at every single kid in that class, these are all kids you are super excited to coach. This is why you come to SC; to coach kids like the kids in [this] class,” Lynn continued.

Nov 16, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley watches game action against the Nebraska Cornhuskers during the second half at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

It all starts on the defensive front, headlined by Santa Margarita (Calif.) four-star EDGE Simote Katoanga, Mater Dei (Calif.) four-star defensive lineman Tomuhini Topui, Richardson (Texas) four-star defensive lineman Jaimeon Winfield, Hun School (N.J.) four-star EDGE Luke Wafle and Mount Carmel (Ill.) four-star defensive lineman Braeden Jones.

The defensive line figures to be perhaps the biggest strength for USC in 2025 under coaches Eric Henderson and Shaun Nua and that could continue in the future with the recruiting class they are set to bring in.

At linebacker, the Trojans landed a massive commitment this month in Kahuku (Hawaii) four-star Talanoa Ili. Topui’s high school teammate, Mater Dei (Calif.) four-star linebacker Shaun Scott will join him on the front seven of USC’s defense. And Cajon (Calif.) three-star Taylor Johnson rounds out the group at the second level.

In the secondary, USC got off to a fast start when they landed two local prospects in the fall of 2023 in Loyola (Calif.) four-star cornerback Brandon Lockhart and Sierra Canyon (Calif.) three-star safety Madden Riordan. St. John Bosco (Calif.) three-star cornerback Joshua Holland joined the recruiting class last July.

Since then, the Trojans have expanded outside of Southern California, adding Archbishop Hoban (Ohio) five-star cornerback Elbert Hill and Duluth (Ga.) four-star cornerback Peyton Dyer in the last two months.

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