USC Trojans Five-Star Recruit Turns Heads With New NIL Deal

USC Trojans five-star commit Honor Fa'alave-Johnson has signed a name, image, and likeness (NIL) deal with Kia, adding the South Korean car company to an already impressive portfolio.

Fa'alave-Johnson is one of the Trojans' most exciting commits not only because of his five-star status, but also because of his unique athleticism that brings two-way expectations with him to USC. In Kia's post announcing the partnership with Fa'alave-Johnson, the brand emphasized the recruit as the fastest player in high school history.

usc trojans honor fa'alave-johnson name image likeness nil kia deal adidas recruiting five-star ranking lincoln riley — San Diego (Calif.) Cathedral Catholic athlete and USC Trojans commit Honor Fa'alave-Johnson | Kendell Hollowell @Khollowell_

"Fast isn’t just about the clock. It’s about preparation, discipline, and knowing how to make every move count. That’s why we’re proud to team up with Honor Fa’alave-Johnson, the fastest football player in high school history, clocked at an incredible 22.7 MPH in a game.* Just like Honor, the Kia Telluride is built to move with confidence. Powerful, capable, and ready for whatever’s ahead, it’s designed for those who never settle for average. Congratulations on an incredible journey, Honor. We’re excited to be part of what’s next," reads the post between Kia and Fa'alave-Johnson.

In the advertisement featuring Fa'alave-Johnson, the USC commit is wearing Adidas gear, something to be expected after he signed an NIL deal with the sportswear company. Adidas added Fa'alave-Johnson and six other high school recuits in the 2026 adizero 7 Class in June:

Ohio State commit, five-star edge rusher David Jacobs (2027)
Ohio State commit, five-star wide receiver Jamier Brown (2027)
Miami commit, five-star wide receiver Nick Lennear (2027)
Nebraska commit, five-star quarterback Trae Taylor (2027)
Five-star cornerback A’mir Sears (2028)
Five-star wide receiver Braylon Clark (2028)

It's a star-studded class that Fa'alave-Johnson fits into, and he also continues the trend of Trojans commits signing exclusive NIL deals with major brands like Adidas or Nike, and now a car company in Kia.

USC freshman Mark Bowman has a name, image, and likeness (NIL) deal with Nike, and the former five-star recruit's Trojans debut is highly anticipated in 2026. For Fa'alave-Johnson, though, USC fans will have to wait one more season as the five-star athlete enters his senior year in high school.

Fa'alave-Johnson has the ability to play both ways, and he recently revealed to USC Trojans on SI's Kendell Hollowell how the Trojans coaching staff plans to utilize him once he arrives on campus:

“They’re gonna teach me more on defense,” Fa’alave-Johnson said. “They're not gonna teach me the whole playbook (on offense) just because it’ll probably be too much, but they're gonna get me in the rotation. Get me at slot, get me at running back, decoy player. Whatever it might be, I’m just trying to get some reps on offense.”

While some programs like the Texas Longhorns have made a push to flip Fa'alave-Johnson, the five-star recruit has publicly re-affirmed his commitment to USC.

USC Trojans 2027 Recruiting Class

Fa'alave-Johnson is USC's highest commit at No. 12 in the nation, per Rivals, followed by five-star EDGE Mekai Brown at No. 27 in the latest rankings update.

The two five-stars headline a class that ranks No. 13 in the country and No. 4 in the Big Ten, per Rivals. With USC signing 35 recruits in the No. 1-ranked class in 2026, the Trojans are inherently bringing in a smaller group in 2027. Still the Trojans are bringing in blue-chip prospects like four-star usc trojans honor fa'alave-johnson name image likeness nil kia deal adidas recruiting five-star ranking lincoln rileyand Roye Oliver as well as four-star defensive backs Danny Lang, Aaryn Washington, and Gavin Williams.

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