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USC Trojans, Lincoln Riley Host Elite Recruit Trenton Henderson

The USC Trojans already have an elite recruiting class, but coach Lincoln Riley and general manager Chad Bowden are not finished. Most recently, four-star EDGE recruit Trenton Henderson from Penascola, Florida.
Charlie Viehl|
Dec 2, 2022; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley watches game action against the Utah Utes during the second half in the PAC-12 Football Championship at Allegiant Stadium.
Dec 2, 2022; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley watches game action against the Utah Utes during the second half in the PAC-12 Football Championship at Allegiant Stadium. | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

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The USC Trojans are recruiting at an elite level, and they seem far from finished. USC coach Lincoln Riley and general manager Chad Bowden have hosted an impressive list of recruits this spring, the latest being elite EDGE Trenton Henderson from Penascola, Florida.

He shared a picture from inside USC's facilities onto social media, confirming his visit across the country to Southern California. Henderson is the No. 66 recruit in the nation, the No. 11 prospect out of Florida, and the No. 11 player at his position, according to On3's rankings.

Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley watches game action against the Utah Utes.
Dec 2, 2022; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley watches game action against the Utah Utes during the second half in the PAC-12 Football Championship at Allegiant Stadium. | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Henderson is the latest recruit to visit USC as the Trojans have consistently had high school prospects on campus to watch spring practice. Earlier in the week, four-star defensive back and USC commit Brandon Lockhart returned to campus. Additionally, Trojans four-star defensive line commit Tomuhini Topui has visited the Trojans multiple times this spring.

In addition to traveling to USC, Henderson visited the Georgia Bulldogs and coach Kirby Smart in March. He told 247Sports that he has plans to see the Texas Longhorns and coach Steve Sarkisian on April 25.

Henderson also revealed his official visit plan to 247Sports, and he plans to see the Auburn Tigers, Vanderbilt Commodores, Alabama Crimson Tide, Florida Gators, and Florida State Seminoles over the summer. However, he also said that his plans are most likely going to change after he takes his spring visits.

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Will Riley, Bowden, and the Trojans be able to convince Henderson to return for an official visit over the summer? USC currently holds the No. 1 spot in the 2026 recruiting class rankings, per 247Sports. Henderon's official visit list is filled with schools from the South, perhaps signaling that the Florida prospect is leaning towards staying closer to home in college. However, the Trojans were able to convince him to make the cross-country trip in the spring.

The Trojans' class is headlined by commits like five-star linebacker Xavier Griffen, four-star cornerback RJ Sermons, four-star defensive lineman Jaimeon Winfield, and four-star quarterback Jonas Williams.

Much has been made about USC's emphasis on recruiting the Southern California area, but the Trojans have also shown that they can will recruit nationally. Despite already having 22 commitments in the class of 2026 alone, Riley and his recruiting staff appear far from finished.

Bowden spoke about his high school recruiting strategy during his introductory press conference with the Trojans.

“We’re going to major in high school recruiting and minor in the portal. We’re not just recruiting the kids, we’re recruiting families. . . and we’re going to keep the best players in California home,” Bowden said.

USC is still recruiting some of the country's top uncommitted recruits like five-star athlete Brandon Arrington, five-star linebacker Tyler Atkinson, fives-star quarterback Ryder Lyons, five-star EDGE Richard Wesley, and five-star tight end Mark Bowman, to name a few.

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Charlie Viehl
CHARLIE VIEHL

Charlie Viehl is the deputy editor for the Oregon Ducks, Colorado Buffaloes, and USC Trojans on SI. He has written hundreds of articles for SI and has covered events like the Big Ten Championship and College Football Playoff Quarterfinals at the Rose Bowl. While pursuing a career in sports journalism, he is also a lifelong musician, holding a degree in Music and Philosophy from Boston College. A native of Pasadena, California, he covered sports across Los Angeles while at Loyola High School and edited the Gabelli Presidential Scholars Program’s magazine at BC. He is excited to bring his passion for storytelling and sports to fans of college athletics.

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