Lincoln Riley Gets Real As Prized USC Freshmen Turn Heads Early

USC coach Lincoln Riley and the Trojans have wrapped up their spring football practices. However, one key trend emerged in regards to the prized freshmen class.

USC Trojans Lincoln Riley Recruiting Class practice luke wafle mark bowman trent mosley jayden maiava big ten playoff nil | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

USC coach Lincoln Riley and the Trojans have wrapped up their spring football practices. However, one key trend emerged in regards to the prized freshmen class, which is the No. 1 ranked recruiting class.

The incoming freshmen are already making names for themselves. For example, five-star tight end Mark Bowman went viral just for a video of him walking into practice, due to his 6-foot-4, 240-pound frame that looked anything but a freshman.

Oct 11, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; USC Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley (wearing white visor) celebrates along with defensive end coach Shaun Nua after kicker Ryon Sayeri (48) hit a 54-yard field goal in the second half against the Michigan Wolverines at United Airlines Field at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

USC is already seeing the payoff of it's incoming class, as the new Trojans hit the ground running, per Riley's eye-catching comments. USC's freshmen aren't acting like freshmen.

Lincoln Riley Gets Real On Prized Freshmen Class

The transition from high school to college is where some highly-touted recruits sink or swim. At USC, the Trojans have prioritized keeping the best players in California, in California and it appears to be paying off.

“This group I think is handling (the transition) pretty well. A lot of these guys did a nice job through the recruiting process of trying to be up here a lot. And so I think it’s helped the acclimation of those guys," Riley said.

Sep 27, 2025; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley before an NCAA football game with the Illinois Fighting Illini at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-Imagn Images | Ron Johnson-Imagn Images

One modern recruiting edge that Riley has leaned into is frequent recruiting visits to campus and practice. This is compared to a more traditional approach where recruits arrive cold to the football program, still trying to find where the restrooms are. The ability to be close in proximity has paid off for a lot of new Trojans who have a level of comfort already at practice. The readiness level is higher, which could be why this class looks different immediately.

“I think our older players, our returners have helped, and they’ve come out here and they’ve competed hard in the beginning. A lot of guys I think will help this football team and help this football team quickly," Riley continued.

Riley's mention of veterans is sneaky important because it indicates a shift in the culture at USC with a focus on maturity. Veteran leadership accelerating development is a key for a program that needs consistency to thrive.

Oct 11, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; USC Trojans quarterback Jayden Maiava (14) warms up prior to the game against the Michigan Wolverines at United Airlines Field at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

The reality of this freshmen class is expectations of instant contributions. There is an elite group that could break through first, including freshman receiver Trent Mosley. Per USC Trojans on SI reporter Kendell Hollowell, Mosley is turning heads at practice as the Trojans search for their next offensive weapon after the departures of receivers Makai Lemon and Ja'Kobi Lane.

The 5-foot-10, 180-pound Mosley has drawn comparisons to the Trojans Biletnikoff Award winner Lemon, already.

On the defensive side, look for freshman defensive end Luke Wafle, a former 5-star recruit. He's hard to miss at 6-foot-6, 265-pounds but he's earning rave reviews from his teammates for his discipline (and shocking body fat.)

Underrated Impact Of USC's Freshmen Class

USC's biggest upgrade in 2026 might not be the talent. Instead, the competition is what is pushing the program to the next level.

Sep 13, 2025; West Lafayette, Indiana, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley stands on the sidelines during the first quarter against the Purdue Boilermakers at Ross-Ade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images | Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images

"The consistent competitiveness of these practices. We've not had to push these guys a lot to come out and really compete. There's a good, healthy mentality, and also there's just legit competition at all these spots. Guys realize that they can't afford to come out here with something less than their best, or they're gonna get showed up, whether it's on the other side of the ball and who they're competing with on a snap, or it's other guys in their position room," Riley said.

The underrated part of what Riley is saying is USC finally has real depth on its roster. This translates to practices becoming more competitive and game-like environments. Iron sharpens iron and it appears that USC's effort is coming internally instead of relying on external motivations like coaching. That can pay off come fall, when the stakes are higher.

"That's where having really good depth and recruiting and building a really good roster from top to bottom makes a big difference. The level of all your practices go up and you just have that natural competitiveness that's already embedded in this group," Riley continued.

USC's recruiting surge is clearly translating already with daily competition raising the floor.

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