USC Trojans' Lincoln Riley, Coaching Staff Visiting, Recruiting Local High Schools

The USC Trojans wrapped up last weekend, which means the coaching staff are back on the road recruiting with official visit season here. The Trojans staff will venture around Southern California to check in on commits and look to add its to its No. 1 ranked recruiting class.

Dec 27, 2024; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley reacts against the Texas A&M Aggies in the second half at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The USC Trojans have been hot on the recruiting trail and currently boast the No. 1 ranked recruiting class in the 2026 cycle with 25 commitments, 14 of which come from the state of California. 

To put it into perspective, USC signed only five players from California in the 2025 cycle and seven in the 2024 cycle. However, since the arrival of general manager Chad Bowden, the Trojans have been aggressive in their pursuit of top talent in the state. 

With spring practice wrapped up, the USC coaching staff will be back on the road. Before making stops all over the country, the Trojans staff will venture around Southern California to visit a number of commits and uncommitted prospects with official visit season here. 

Dec 27, 2024; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley reacts against the Texas A&M Aggies in the second half at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

USC coaches will head down to Orange County to stop by national powerhouse Mater Dei. Four-star defensive lineman Tomuhini Topui flipped his commitment from Oregon to USC in early April and was a frequent visitor on campus this spring. It would be easier to name the practices he wasn’t at. 

Mater Dei is also the home of five-star tight end Mark Bowman, four-star receiver Kayden Dixon-Wyatt and four-star linebacker Shaun Scott. The Trojans will check in on a trio of 2027 prospects, four-star cornerbacks Aaryn Washington and Danny Lang, three-star interior offensive lineman Lex Mailangi and 2028 safety Ace Leutele. 

The Trojans are also expected to spend a considerate amount of time in Orange County. They will swing by Santa Margarita to visit a pair of commits in four-star EDGE Simote Katoanga and four-star receiver Trent Mosley. The Trojans continue to pursue four-star receiver and UCLA commit Jonah Smith. 

Former USC quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Carson Palmer took over as the head coach at his alma mater in December. 

The Trojans will make their way over the Orange Lutheran, the home of four-star interior offensive lineman Samuel Utu. USC will also visit Servite to see three-star tight end Luke Sorensen, who picked up an offer in early April and four-star linebacker Isaiah Leilua. 

To complete their Trinity League tour, the Trojans will swing by St. John Bosco to see three-star cornerback commit Joshua Holland. Bosco is also the home of four-star receiver and Texas A&M commit Madden Williams, who picked an offer from USC in late March. The Trojans will also see a pair of 2027 cornerbacks, three-star Jacob Whitehead and four-star Jailen Hill. 

And to wrap up their Orange County tour, USC will head to Mission Viejo to check in on four-star receiver and Georgia commit Vance Spafford and three-star cornerback Jeron Jones. 

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The Trojans will also be at Oaks Christian to visit four-star defensive back Davon Benjamin and four-star running back commit Deshonne Redeaux. Benjamin has been at USC a few times this spring but does not have an official visit scheduled. 

Sierra Canyon has become a pipeline for the Trojans, four current players played at the nearby high school. USC will check on a pair of commits, three-star athlete Madden Riordan and three-star receiver Ja’Myron Baker. Sierra Canyon is also the home of four-star EDGE Richard Wesley and four-star cornerback and LSU commit Havon Finney Jr.

USC will swing over to Sherman Oaks to see Notre Dame four-star receiver Luc Weaver, who picked an offer from the Trojans in late April. 

Serra five-cornerback Duvay Williams is a high priority for USC in the 2027 cycle as the work to rebuild their pipeline with the local high school. Williams is the No. 1 cornerback, No. 2 overall prospect and No. 1 player in the state of California in the 2027 class according to the 247Sports Composite Rankings. 

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

The Trojans will visit a plethora of commits in the area, including Rancho Cucamonga five-star cornerback RJ Sermons, Loyola four-star cornerback Brandon Lockhart, St. Pius X-St. Matthias Academy three-star defensive lineman Malik Brooks and Fremont three-star EDGE Andrew Williams. 

USC will continue to get a head start on its 2027 class and visit Long Beach Poly four-star cornerbacks JuJu Johnson and Donte Wright, Inglewood four-star defensive lineman Elija Harmon and Narbonne three-star linebacker Kenneth Goodwin.

All of the schools mentioned are within a 60-mile radius of USC’s campus. Southern California is a hotbed for recruiting and the Trojans are pushing to build a fence around their state.