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USC Trojans Land Linebacker Recruit With Family Ties

The USC Trojans pulled off adding one more commit for the 2027 recruiting cycle, who hails from a familiar household.
Lorenzo Reyna|
USC Trojans freshman defensive end Luke Wafle
USC Trojans freshman defensive end Luke Wafle | USC Trojans freshman defensive end Luke Wafle

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The USC Trojans proved they weren't ready to put a close on landing 2027 recruits.

Four-star safety Gavin Williams of Damien High in La Verne, California represented the last commit for the Trojans' current recruiting cycle. USC and coach Lincoln Riley went nearly a month without nabbing a recruit, until the afternoon of June 15 came along.

USC Lands Brother of 5-Star Edge Rusher Luke Wafle

Luke Wafle Dylan Wafle New Jersey USC Trojans Lincoln Riley College Football Recruiting Big Ten Shaun Nua Boston College
Cherry Hill West's Jordon DeJesus Gonzalez is sacked by Middletown South's Colin Gallagher and Luke Wafle during the first half of the Cherry Hill West vs. Middletown South NJSIAA Central Group 4 playoff football game at Middletown High School South in Middletown, NJ Friday, October 28, 2022. | Tanya Breen / USA TODAY NETWORK

USC now completes the recruiting win for three-star linebacker Dylan Wafle from Avon Old Farms in Connecticut. Wafle informed Hayes Fawcett of On3/Rivals of his verbal commitment to the Trojans, turning down the likes of ACC options Duke and Boston College, plus Big 12 representative UCF for the Trojans.

Wafle brings a surname that USC fans are already familiar with. His older brother is prized five-star edge rusher Luke Wafle, who helped boost the Trojans' No. 1 recruiting ranking for the 2026 class.

The elder Wafle is already turning heads at USC through his spring practice development. He's projected to play right away with his strong mix of 6-6 frame meshed with elite athleticism on the edge.

USC Prioritized Younger Wafle Brother Before June Commitment

Desman Stephens II USC Trojans College Football Recruiting Big Ten Luke Wafle Dylan Wafle TCU Horned Frogs Lincoln Riley
Dec 30, 2025; San Antonio, TX, USA; Southern California Trojans linebacker Desman Stephens II (23) celebrates against the TCU Horned Frogs in the second half during the Alamo Bowl at Alamodome. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

USC started recruiting Dylan Wafle well before his June commitment.

On3/Rivals national recruiting analyst Greg Biggins envisioned the Trojans as the team to beat for Wafle's services.

"The younger brother of USC freshman and former No. 1 overall recruit Luke Wafle, the younger Wafle is essentially down to the Trojans and Boston College," Biggins wrote back on May 15. "It’s tough to envision him going anywhere other than USC and that 16 man class might actually be wrapped up."

The Trojans have been expected to bring in a smaller group of recruits in 2026, especially after landing a 32-man class for the 2026 recruiting cycle which featured three linebacker commits Talanoa Ili, Taylor Johnson and Shaun Scott.

But now Dylan Wafle adds some needed future depth in the land of troy and presents room for growth.

What USC Gains in Dylan Wafle

USC Trojans Lincoln Riley Missouri State Bears College Football Recruiting Big 12 Kayden Dixon-Wyatt Chad Savage Tanook Hines
Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley watches from the sidelines against the Missouri State Bears in the first half at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

USC picks up more than the younger sibling of a heralded recruit here. This Wafle presents a strong track and field acument too.

He ran a reported 11.51 time in the 100-meter dash as junior, showing that he brings straight line speed to the football field. Dylan Wafle also leaped to a 20-11 mark in the long jump, meaning he presents hops on the field too.

But just like the prized older brother, this Wafle brings his own edge rushing pursuits to the football field. Dylan Wafle explodes out of his two-point stance and disrupts running and passing plays. He's cerebral enough to know which gap to gravitate toward and fill it with his tackling.

Wafle relied more on wrapping and rolling his ball carriers. He'll need to show he can run through his tackles for the future. He'll also need to correct his pad level too. But he fills a future roster need and adds to the growing New Jersey following for the Trojans.

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Lorenzo Reyna
LORENZO REYNA

Lorenzo J Reyna is a sports writer for USC Trojans On SI and Colorado Buffaloes On SI. He brings nearly two decades of sports writing experience, including coverage of Cal, Stanford, San Jose State and Fresno State for 247Sports. He also wrote about an incoming high school freshman named Jayden Daniels before he won the Heisman Trophy and led the Washington Commanders. Also known as "Zo" to his colleagues, his other writing credits include ClutchPoints, Athlon Sports, Roundtable, the Santa Maria Times and freelanced once for the Los Angeles Times. He enjoys living near a beach, having multiple cups of coffee, and listening to old school R&B/Hip-Hop in his down time.

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