USC Trojans Battling Oregon for Four-Star Linebacker Recruit

The USC Trojans and the Oregon Ducks appear to be in another recruiting battle, this time for a four-star linebacker prospect.

Oct 28, 2023; Berkeley, California, USA; USC Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley walks on the field before a game against the California Golden Bears at California Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

Four-star linebacker recruit Toa Satele is one of the top players of the position from the class of 2027. The USC Trojans kicked off their 2027 recruiting class, looking to keep their momentum going, targeting Satele.

Satele is the No. 61 recruit in the nation, the No. 4 linebacker, and the No. 1 player from Hawaii, per the Rivals Industry Rankings.

Dec 2, 2022; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley reacts in the first half of the Pac-12 Championship against the Utah Utes at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

USC Trojans Battling Oregon Ducks for Toa Satele

USC coach Lincoln Riley and the Trojans are one of the top programs making a push for the four-star linebacker, but there is no clear frontrunner yet. Several programs are making a push for him, but USC and the Oregon Ducks are competing hard for him, according to Rivals.

“Oregon and USC are recruiting me the hardest right now, along with UCLA, Cal, and Miami,” Satele told Rivals. “I like Oregon and USC a lot, but honestly, I don’t have a leader right now.”

Satele went on to reveal that while nothing is scheduled, he would like to visit both the Trojans and Ducks for their Junior Days.

Oregon head coach Dan Lanning speaks during the head coaches’ press conference ahead of the Peach Bowl at the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta, Georgia, on Jan. 8, 2026. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Though there may not be a frontrunner currently, per Satele’s comments, the Trojans are recruiting him hard, and USC will have to continue communicating with him to land his commitment over the Ducks.

USC and Oregon competing for recruits is nothing new. From the 2026 recruiting class, the two programs were finalists for several of the same targets.

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USC quarterback signee Jonas Willians and defensive lineman Tomuhini Topui were originally committed to the Oregon Ducks before flipping to the Trojans. Cornerback Brandon Lockhart committed to USC early, back in 2023, but he was also a target of the Ducks.

On the other end, Oregon five-star safety signee Jett Washington chose the Ducks over the USC Trojans, despite both programs being among his finalists. The two programs are competing with several of the top prospects from the 2027 recruiting class, in addition to Satele, and understand it will take a big push to land the four-star linebacker.

Nov 16, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley watches game action against the Nebraska Cornhuskers during the second half at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

“Right now, I don’t have a set time frame for making my decision. I know I want to commit before my season, but I’m in no hurry and like I said, I need to take my visits first and see where I fit in the best,” Satele added while speaking to Rivals.

Trojans’ Recruiting Success to Continue

While Satele may not be an in-state recruit, the Trojans have had success in landing elite prospects from Hawaii. 

Similar to Satele, USC linebacker commit Talanoa Ili was also the No. 1 recruit from Hawaii in the 2026 recruiting class. He committed to the Trojans in June, helping USC secure the No. 1-ranked recruiting class.

The Trojans recently hired a new special teams coordinator and linebackers coach, Mike Ekeler, as well as a new defensive coordinator in Gary Patterson. Will they be able to Land Satele and help USC maintain an elite front seven?

Nov 28, 2025; Lincoln, Nebraska, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers assistant coach Mike Ekeler (left) watches warmups before the game against the Iowa Hawkeyes at Memorial Stadium. | Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

The USC Trojans have landed one commitment from the 2027 class so far, four-star cornerback Aaryn Washington. After securing the No. 1-ranked 2026 recruiting class, Riley and the Trojans are looking to keep the recruiting momentum going and targeting elite prospects from across the nation.

With their effort in recruiting Satele and already landing Washington, the Trojans are building a defense rostered with high-potential players.