USC Trojans Impress California 4-Star Defensive Line Recruit Elija Harmon

There’s no doubt the vibe around the USC Trojans football program has been different since the arrival of general manager Chad Bowden. 2026 recruits have taken notice as the Trojans close in on what could be their highest-ranked recruiting class in a decade and they’re not the only ones.

Inglewood (Calif.) 2027 four-star defensive lineman Elija Harmon was on campus this week for the second time this calendar year and the Trojans made another strong impression on the local product.

Nov 2, 2024; Seattle, Washington, USA; USC Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley stands on the sideline during the fourth quarter against the Washington Huskies at Alaska Airlines Field at Husky Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images | Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images

“I got to know them a lot better on a personal level today, because it was just me,” Harmon told On3. “They definitely seem like a team that’s not focused on what happened last season, their record or how many losses they had.

“You could tell they just want to continue to grow and don’t care about what everybody else is saying. They just want to. They want to be better because they know the standard at USC and I feel like they’re making the right steps to get there," Harmon continued.

Bowden has prioritized recruits in Southern California for the 2026 cycle, the same way former USC coach Pete Carroll did during his legendary run in the 2000s, and it’s a formula Bowden intends to use for future recruiting classes as well. USC has struggled for years to keep local blue-chip recruits from leaving their backyard, but with an elite recruiting staff, that could be a thing of the past.

“I feel like today opened my eyes a lot,” Harmon told On3. “You can tell they made the right steps to like make players in California want to stay home. It’s almost like everything is at USC, so why leave? They’re making the right steps to keep these players home.”

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The talented 2027 recruit plays his high school less than 10 miles from the Trojans campus has begun developing a strong relationship with USC defensive line coach Eric Henderson. The Trojans are making a strong push to make Harmon their first commit of the 2027 cycle.

“I’ve had countless conversations with him and now I feel that I really know him,” said Harmon. “I like that he’s not gonna lie to you and he’s gonna give you his all. He’s not one of them coaches that’s not just gonna tell you what you want to hear, he’s gonna tell you what you need to hear. But he’s also gonna love you, give you his all and just gonna coach you up. You can tell that he’s telling the truth.”

Harmon is just a sophomore in high school and his Early National Signing Period is still a long way away, but his visit to campus this week certainly made a lasting impression. Harmon was also on campus for Junior Day in early February.

“Today we didn’t really go over some schemes and stuff like that, the focus really wasn’t on that,” Harmon told On3. “It was more just me getting to know the coaches more on a personal level. First I met with Coach (D’Anton) Lynn then I met with Coach Henny and after that we ate a little lunch. And then I got to meet with Coach Dre Brown and then to top it all off, I got to meet with Coach (Lincoln) Riley.

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