How USC Trojans, Lincoln Riley Flipped 4-Star Quarterback Jonas Williams From Oregon Ducks

The USC Trojans received a major boost to its 2026 recruiting class on Friday when Lincoln-Way East four-star quarterback Jonas Williams announced he would be flipping his commitment from the Oregon Ducks.

Williams is the No. 65 overall prospect, No. 7 quarterback and No. 1 ranked player in Illinois according to the On3 Industry Rankings.

✌️✌️ https://t.co/zUALygUEmF
— Jonas Williams (@JonasWilliams_1) February 22, 2025

"My favorite things that excite me are the relationships I've built with Coach Riley, Luke (Huard), and the GM Chad Bowden," Williams told On3. "That was an important factor for me and knowing that this offense will fit my passing style is reassuring."

USC have been closing in on Williams for the past month since Trojans coach Lincoln Riley visited his school in late in January. Williams was a late addition to the Trojans Junior Day event at the beginning of the month, but the trip out west proved to be a successful one. The four-star signal-caller spent a majority of time with Riley and the two attended the men's basketball game together, where they interacted with Los Angeles Lakers legend Magic Johnson.

Riley has built an impressive resume when it comes to quarterback's that is unrivaled by anyone else in the sport. Between his time at Oklahoma and USC, Riley has coached three Heisman trophy winners that went on to become No. 1 overall picks in the NFL Draft, Baker Mayfield, Kyler Murray and Caleb Williams.

The Trojans coach also developed Jalen Hurts into an NFL prospect in his lone season at Oklahoma. Hurts just lead the Philadelphia Eagles to a dominate win over the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl 59, earning Super Bowl MVP in the process.

"Coach Riley, he is the driving factor in my recruitment," Williams told On3. Also, what they did with the '25 class and what they're doing with the '26 class is pretty intriguing."

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The hiring of general manager Chad Bowden also played a major factor in Williams's recruitment. Bowden was pushing for Williams while he was at Notre Dame, but when Bowden joined the Trojans staff, Riley started to make a major push for the talented signal-caller.

"Me and Chad have a great relationship," Williams told 247Sports. "I love his energy. Our respect for each other is mutual. I think he is a great guy that I will spend a lot of time with, and he is a guy who will have my back."

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

Williams father', John has also spoke highly about USC from a football aspect, but the prestigious university as a whole.

"Obviously a great education out there and the football program speaks for itself," the elder Williams told On3.

Williams is the Trojans second commitment from the state of Illinois, joining Mount Carmel four-star defensive lineman Braedon Jones as USC continues to build a recruiting footprint in the Midwest. The Trojans now hold 10 commitments in their No. 2 ranked recruiting class and are quickly closing on west coast foe Oregon for the top-ranked spot in the 2026 cycle.

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