Can USC Trojans Land Elite Cornerback Recruit Elbert Hill Over Alabama, Oregon?

Five-star cornerback Elbert Hill is one of the top recruiting prospects from the class of 2026. USC Trojans coach Lincoln Riley and company are heavily recruiting Hill, as are the Alabama Crimson Tide and Oregon Ducks.

Dec 31, 2024; Tampa, FL, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Kalen DeBoer looks on against the Michigan Wolverines during the first half at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images / Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images

Nike’s Next Ones event hosted the nation's top class of 2026 prospects on the eve of the Super Bowl. Among those in attendance was five-star cornerback cornerback Elbert Hill, and the USC Trojans are among the top schools that Hill is interested in as he continues to make his final decision.

Hill is an elite cornerback recruit from the class of 2026. Per the On3 Industry Rankings, Hill is the No. 19 recruit in the nation, the No. 1 cornerback, and the No. 1 player from Ohio.

Hill’s father spoke to On3 about where things stand with the USC Trojans, along with the cornerback’s other top schools. In addition to USC, the top schools remain to be the Alabama Crimson Tide, Oregon Ducks, and Michigan Wolverines. While Alabama and Oregan remain the frontrunners for Hill, USC coach Lincoln Riley and the Trojans are beginning to rise. 

Dec 31, 2024; Tampa, FL, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Kalen DeBoer looks on against the Michigan Wolverines during the first half at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images / Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images

“That’s where it’s at right now. Really like Bama and really liking Oregon and USC has been doing a hell of a job recruiting him,” Hill’s father said. “Oregon and Bama they’ve been in the mix for a long time. USC is coming around. But those two have been pretty consistent.”

Hill will be taking more visits before making his final decision. He has visit with the Oregon Ducks scheduled for Apr. 19, and he is set to visit Alabama again, but there is no set date. Hill is likely to visit USC and Michigan one more time as well.

“He’s been talking to Coach (Lamar) Morgan a lot. We might be able to swing a quick trip to Michigan. It’s right up the street,” Hill’s father said. “I haven’t got the exact date for Alabama. I believe USC again. Those are the main three targets.”

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Hill took an unofficial visit with the USC Trojans on Jan. 25 and it went well. After the trip, Hill spoke to On3 about a successful visit with the Trojans.

“I had a great time and I will definitely be back for an official visit. Who wouldn’t want to spend more time in L.A.? USC is a great place and I had a great time on my visit,” Hill told On3. “They definitely met expectations. I got the campus tour, I met with the staff, I saw the stadium and it is an amazing place. The Coliseum is awesome.”

USC’s secondary coach, Doug Belk is playing a big part in the recruiting process for Hill. Hill raved about Belk after he visited USC.

“Coach Belk is a great dude. That is my guy and I like him a lot. He knows a lot about the game of football. We watched film at first, we talked ball, we got food and we had a great time. He showed me what I can add to my game and I enjoyed my time with coach Belk,” Hill said.

Sep 7, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; USC Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley reacts against the Utah State Aggies during the second quarter at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Hui-Imagn Images / Jonathan Hui-Imagn Images

Hill also had high praise about Riley and discussed what makes him a great cllege coach.

“He talked to me about how only a few can get into a place like USC. It takes guys who work hard and he wants those kind of guys in his program,” Hill said. “He cares about the education part too. Coach Riley wants his guys to graduate and he was fun to be around and to talk to.”

Riley and the Trojans are having early success with the class of 2026 recruits. Per On3, the Trojans rank No. 2 in the nation with the recruiting class, only behind the No. 1 Oregon Ducks. With USC, Hill would be joining some top 2026 defensive prospects including four-star linebacker Xavier Griffin and four-star cornerback RJ Sermons.

While Alabama and Oregon remain the frontrunners for Hill, USC is doing well recruiting top prospects and could make a late push to land the elite cornerback. 

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