USC Trojans, Lincoln Riley Jump Oregon Ducks For No. 1 Recruiting Class In 2026

The USC Trojans and coach Lincoln Riley currently have the No. 1 recruiting class of 2026. The rankings shift comes after defensive lineman Bott Mulitalo de-committed from the Oregon Ducks. While USC has the top recruiting class, they are not slowing down their efforts to bring in the top talent.

Angela Miele | Mar 11, 2025

Dec 27, 2024; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley holds the championship trophy after the game against the Texas A&M Aggies at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

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The USC Trojans have been successful in recruiting the class of 2026. With their success, USC coach Lincoln Riley and the Trojans have secured the No. 1 spot in On3's recruiting rankings.

The USC Trojans and the Oregon Ducks have been battling out for the No. 1 recruiting class for some time, and now the Trojans have jumped into the lead. Oregon lost a commitment from four-star defensive lineman Bott Mulitalo, moving USC into the top spot.

Another big key in getting the Trojans to push for the No. 1 spot was four-star quarterback Jonas Williams’ flip from Oregon to USC. While the flip did not push the Trojans to No. 1 at the time, it certainly made the classes more competitive. USC's flip of Williams also took away a top quarterback prospect from a rival team.

The USC hiring of general manager Chad Bowden has been a key factor in USC’s hot start on the recruiting trail. Bowden made it clear in his opening press conference that he wants to emphasize recruiting, especially in California.

“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 during his inaugural press conference.

The USC Trojans have received 12 commits so far, 67 percent being in-state recruits. California produces top football talent, and USC is making it a point to keep the talent in-state. Riley and the Trojans have not received any five-star commitments, but have received seven four-star recruits and five more three-star players.

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In addition to Williams, on the offensive side of the ball, USC has secured a recruitment from four-star running back Shahn Alston. USC still has not received a commitment from a top receiver but is targeting many top recruits. The Trojans are looking to build a team around their incoming quarterback.

The success of the recruiting class early on is attracting other top players. Williams recently spoke about how success is one of the factors that led him to pick USC over Oregon.

“What they did with the '25 class and what they're doing with the '26 class is pretty intriguing," Williams told On3.

The Trojans are bringing in a loaded defensive core through the class of 2026. One of the top prospects coming in is four-star linebacker Xavier Griffin. Griffin is ranked the No. 2 linebacker and No. 23 recruit in the nation, per On3. The Trojans have also received a commitment from four-star cornerbacks Brandon Lockhart and RJ Sermons, edge rusher Simote Katoanga, and defensive lineman Braedon Jones.

Nov 30, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley watches game action against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish during the first half at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images / Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Among the three-star recruits coming in are athletes Joshua Holland and Madden Riordan, wide receiver Ja’Myron Baker, edge rusher Andrew Williams, and offensive lineman John Fifita.

The USC Trojans may hold the No. 1 recruiting class, but that does not mean they are slowing down. Riley and the Trojans will continue to bring in the top prospects to build a strong team for the next few years.

USC will continue to battle in the Big Ten, which had four teams make the College Football Playoffs. With the incoming recruiting class, USC could be in playoff contention for years to come.

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