Can USC Trojans Land Local 4-Star Recruit Deshonne Redeaux Over Georgia Bulldogs, UCLA Bruins?

Oaks Christian (CA) four-star running back Deshonne Redeaux released his top six schools on Thursday, including the USC Trojans, UCLA, Michigan, Oregon, Georgia and Washington.

Redeaux is the No. 115 overall prospect, No. 12 running back and No. 14 prospect in the state of California according to the On3 Industry Rankings.

“It will be about how the staff and people treat me,” Redeaux told On3. “Life outside of football is also something I am looking hard at. I will know about the football stuff at the schools I am looking at, so I want to know more about life outside of football and if the coaches care about the players. Those types of things will matter.”

Running back Deshonne Redeaux finds an opening during the first quarter of Oaks Christian's 35-0 Marmonte League win over St. Bonaventure Friday night at Redell Field. | JOE LUMAYA/SPECIAL TO THE STAR / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Trojans are the favorites the land the talented local product according to the On3 recruiting prediction machine. USC coach Lincoln Riley and running backs coach Anthony Jones stopped by Redeaux’s school in early January when the dead period ended.

Redeaux was one of many top-ranked recruits from Southern California that made the trip to Los Angeles for USC’s Junior Day event at the beginning of the month. The event gave the recruits the first opportunity to be around new general manager Chad Bowden and see the direction the program is headed.

“We're going to attack it through the state of California,” Bowden said. “It's the best high school football in America. It's played in California. And we're going to do everything that we can get the very best players that are in California to stay here and play for USC."

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Riley also watched Oaks Christian play Oaks Hills in the first round of the Division 2 CIF Southern Section Playoffs during the Trojans bye week at the beginning of November.

The Trojans already have one running back commit for the 2026 cycle in Harvey (OH) four-star running back Shahn Alston. He announced his pledge USC over offers from Penn State and Wisconsin during the Navy All-American bowl in January.

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

Still, Redeaux remains high on the Trojans priority list as they continue to improve their backfield for the future. USC has also targeted a couple of Redeaux’s teammates in four-star cornerback Davon Benjamin and three-star defensive lineman Joseph Peko. Southern California is a recruiting hotbed, and the Trojans will continue to work to keep elite talent from leaving their backyard.

The Trojans hold nine commitments in their No. 2 ranked recruiting class for the 2026 cycle in the On3 Industry Rankings. USC has not finished with a top 10 recruiting class since the 2018 cycle and the last time they were ranked inside the top 3 was in the 2015 cycle.

With several top prospects cutting down their list and deciding where they will be taking official visits, the recruiting trail is heating up heading into the spring months.

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