The Reason Why USC Will Fall From Its No. 3 Recruiting Ranking

The USC Trojans signed the No. 1 recruiting class in 2026, but they likely won't repeat in the recruiting class of 2027.

USC Trojans Likely to Fall Down Recruiting Rankings

The Trojans already have 13 recruits committed in the class of 2027, but On3's Pete Nakos reported that the Trojans are targeting only 16 recruits in the class of 2027, meaning USC coach Lincoln Riley and his staff are nearly done recruiting the current cycle.

usc trojans lincoln riley recruiting chad bowden rankings fall class size ucla bruins bob chesney honor faalave johnson — Nov 30, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley reacts against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the second half at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

USC's group of commits ranks No. 3 in the nation, per 247Sports. The only programs ahead of USC are No. 1 Oklahoma and No. 2 Texas A&M, and the No. 4 UCLA Bruins and No. 5 Notre Dame Fighting Irish round out the top five behind the Trojans.

Oklahoma also leads the country with 21 commits as of May 5, while UCLA and Notre Dame currently have the second and third-largest classes with 16 and 14 commits, respectively. A number of teams currently hold 13 commitments like USC, including Texas A&M, Kentucky, and Washington.

The Trojans' early progress signals that the program is continuing to recruit at an elite level after the success with the 2026 class, but USC will likely fall down the rankings as class sizes continue to grow in 2027.

In the class of 2026, every school that ranked inside the top 10 had at least 20 commitments in their recruiting classes.

USC Trojans general manager Chad Bowden hired from Notre Dame Fighting Irish | USC Trojans Video Youtube

USC Trojans' 2027 Recruiting Class

Honor Fa'alave-Johnson, five-star safety
Mekai Brown, four-star EDGE
Quentin Hale, four-star wide receiver
Danny Lang, four-star cornerback
Aaryn Washington, four-star cornerback
Drew Fielder, four-star offensive lineman
Roye Oliver III, four-star wide receiver
Eli Woodard, four-star wide receiver
Alifeleti Tuihalamaka, four-star defensive lineman
Javon Vital, three-star running back
Jace Cannon, three-star tight end
Josiah Poyer, three-star linebacker
Isaia Vandermade, three-star linebacker

Considering the current makeup of USC's class, could target both offensive and defensive linemen to fill out the 2027 recruiting class.

However, Riley and company have also been active in the transfer portal, bringing in wide receiver Terrell Anderson, defensive lineman Alex VanSumeren, and defensive back Jontez Williams, to name a few. The 2026 class of transfers was smaller due to the Trojans successfully retaining key pieces of the roster combined with an incoming freshman class of 35 recruits.

Although USC will amost inevitably fall down the recruiting rankings as the early signing period approaches, it's not a reason for concern, at least yet.

USC's recruiting class of 2026 is headlined by five-star defensive lineman Luke Wafle, five-star tight end Mark Bowman, five-star offensive lineman Keenyi Pepe, and the Trojans have more talent joining the roster.

Perhaps even more importantly, the Trojans have quickly rebuilt recruiting pipelines in Southern California with traditional powers like Mater Dei, Sierra Canyon, and more. UCLA is starting to recruit the local area more aggressively, but USC general manager Chad Bowden and Riley have a bit of a head start over their crosstown rivals.

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