USC Trojans Pushing To Flip Four-Star EDGE Recruit Away From Florida

The USC Trojans are attempting to flip one of the Florida Gators' top commits in their 2026 recruiting class. After Florida coach Billy Napier was fired, it opened the door for USC to try and flip four-star edge rusher Kevin Ford away from the Gators.

Nov 1, 2025; Lincoln, Nebraska, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley arrives at the stadium before the game against the Nebraska Cornhuskers at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dylan Widger-Imagn Images | Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

The USC Trojans are moving like sharks in the water on the recruiting trail. After Florida coach Billy Napier was fired, it sent the Gators' 2026 recruiting class into a frenzy.

In comes the Trojans, who are looking to flip one of the top commits in Florida's 2026 class. Four-star edge rusher Kevin Ford has been given a lot to think about with the recent firing of Napier and has reportedly been considering flipping away from the Gators.

Trojans Looking To Strike

Oct 11, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; USC Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley celebrates 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

Steve Wiltfong of Rivals said that Ford has a pair of schools pushing for him in the wake of Napier's firing.

"I do think Texas A&M is on the gas now for Florida edge rusher commit Kevin KJ Ford. He’s been to two games this fall. USC is also in the mix. Right now it’s setting up nicely for the Aggies. We’ll see what the Trojans do. Texas A&M was considered the original favorite for Ford," Wiltfong said.

It's not the first time that USC has had to battle Texas A&M for a top recruit in the 2026 cycle. Earlier in the year, the Trojans lost out on five-star cornerback Brandon Arrington to the Aggies in a tightly-contested battle.

Ford's Recruiting Profile

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

The No. 12 edge rusher and No. 101 player in the country according to 247Sports' rankings, Ford is the highest-rated edge rusher in Texas. He is currently the fourth highest-ranked commit in Florida's 2026 class. Before committing to the Gators, Ford held an eye-opening 38 offers.

Alabama, Ohio State, Florida, and Texas A&M all got official visits from Ford prior to when he committed to the Gators.

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Most Underrated Edge Rusher Class In The Big Ten?

Aug 30, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley reacts during the game against the Missouri State Bears at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Trojans have one of the most underrated edge rusher classes in the Big Ten Conference. Among their pledges are two four-stars and one three-star.

Luke Wafle is the most recent edge rusher to commit to USC and is also the highest-ranked as well. The four-star recruit checks in as the No. 14 edge rusher and No. 115 player in the country according to 247Sports' rankings. USC was able to beat out Ohio State and Penn State for Wafle's commitment.

Four-star Braeden Jones is also plays an integral part in the Trojans' 2026 class. He ranks as the No. 25 edge rusher and No. 166 player in the country. Jones was one of the first prospects to commit to USC, making the decision to pledge to the Trojans over a year ago

Three-star Andrew Williams fills out the class as a complimentary depth piece. He is listed as the No. 92 edge rusher in the cycle.

If Ford does end up flipping to the Trojans, he could be the piece that pushes them to be among the top edge rusher classes in the country, not just in the Big Ten.