USC Commit Mekai Brown Receives Promising Recruiting Ranking

Class of 2027 recruit and USC Trojans commit, edge rusher Mekai Brown is now rated five-stars in the updated Rivals300.

Mekai Brown's Updated Recruiting Ranking

USC Trojans Lincoln Riley Commit Recruit Class of 2027 Five-Star Mekai Brown Big Ten Recruiting College Football Playoff — Nov 29, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley celebrates with fans after the game against the UCLA Bruins at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Mekai Brown is a 6-6, 235 pound edge rusher out of Greenwich, Connecticut. He is now rated as a five-star recruit, ranked as the No. 3 edge rusher and the No. 17 overall prospect in the class of 2027 per Rivals. In five games played as a junior for Greenwich County Day High School in 2025-26, Brown had 10 total tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, and 3.5 sacks.

USC offered Brown back in September of 2025. He committed to the Trojans on April 17.

“The culture, the people, the development. I just love everything about the program,” Brown said to Rivals after committing to USC. “There was nowhere else I could see myself at.”

USC’s 2027 Class Recruiting Ranking

USC currently has 11 commits in the class of 2027 with the commitment from Brown. Here are all 11:

Honor Fa’alave-Johnson, Athlete
Mekai Brown, Edge Rusher
Quentin Hale, Wide Receiver
Danny Lang, Cornerback
Aaryn Washington, Cornerback
Drew Fielder, Offensive Tackle
Eli Woodard, Wide Receiver
Javon Vital Jr., Running Back
Jace Cannon, Tight End
Josiah Poyer, Linebacker
Isaia Vandermade, Defensive Lineman

Per Rivals, this 2027 class ranks No. 4 in the country. No. 1 is the Texas A&M Aggies, No. 2 is the Texas Tech Red Raiders, and No. 3 is the Oklahoma Sooners.

USC is coming off a 2026 recruiting cycle in which they lined the No. 1 class in the country. This class consists of 35 commits, including four five-star recruits in edge rusher Luke Wafle, tight Mark Bowman, offensive tackle Keenyi Pepe, and defensive lineman Jaimeon Winfield.

High Expectations For Lincoln Riley in 2026

USC coach Lincoln Riley in entering his fifth season as USC coach. Riley took over in 2022 and has an overall record of 35-18 in Los Angeles. USC has not yet made a College Football Playoff or won a conference title under Riley. Riley believes that this 2026 is his best squad yet at USC.

Lincoln Riley went on The Jim Rome Show, claiming that this year’s team is the most “complete” team he’s had at USC.

“I think this will be the most complete roster we’ve had here at USC. We returned some really good, productive players that we think are teed up to be the best they’ve been in their careers,” Riley said. “Signed the No. 1 recruiting class in the country…That combination from a roster standpoint is exciting.”

The time to win for USC is now. With the playoff being 12 teams, Riley having landed the top recruiting class, and getting starting quarterback Jayden Maiava back for another season, there is no reason why they shouldn’t be able to finally get over that hump.

However, USC has a very difficult Big Ten conference schedule that consists of the top three teams in the conference from last season: the Oregon Ducks, Ohio State Buckeyes, and Indiana Hoosiers.

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