USC Battling Oregon, Ohio State for In-State Defensive Line Recruit

The USC Trojans are facing some familiar foes on the recruiting trail in the Oregon Ducks and Ohio State Buckeyes as all three programs battle for a four-star defensive line recruit.

Jul 24, 2025; Las Vegas, NV, USA; USC head coach Lincoln Riley speaks to the media during the Big Ten NCAA college football media days at Mandalay Bay Resort. Mandatory Credit: Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images | Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images

Four-star defensive line recruit Marcus Fakatou narrowed down his top 10 programs, according to Hayes Fawcett of Rivals, and the USC Trojans are among the top schools.

Fakatou is the No. 29 recruit in the nation, the No. 2 defensive lineman, and the No. 2 player from California, per the Rivals Industry Ranking. Fakatou visited USC during the program's Trojan Olympics, which helped the team rise into his top ten. As USC pushes to keep the top recruits in-state, the Trojans being in Fakatou's top 10 is a good sign for the Trojans 2027 class.

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

“It was a good trip, I’d definitely say that, and it definitely left a good impression on my dad, and he liked them a lot,” Fakatou told Rivals after visiting USC for its Trojan Olympics.

While USC is among Fakatou's top programs, the Trojans will have their work cut out for them. The other teams in Fakatou's 10 include:

Michigan Wolverines
Ohio State Buckeyes
Oregon Ducks
Georgia Bulldogs
Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Texas Longhorns
Oklahoma Sooners
Texas A&M Aggies

USC’s Emphasis on In-State Recruiting

Although, according to Rivals, Fakatou may not want to stay in California, the USC Trojans are beginning to build a wall to keep the top recruits in-state.

Nov 30, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley reacts against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the second half at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

USC hired general manager Chad Bowden in 2025, which has shifted the Trojans’ success with high school recruiting for the better. USC’s 2026 recruiting class is ranked No. 1 in the nation, featuring 35 commits, per Rivals. More than that, 57 percent of the commits are from California, a big step up from 24 percent of the 2025 recruiting class.

One of USC’s highest-ranked signees is five-star tight end Mark Bowman, who is from California. Despite drawing interest from several top programs in the nation, such as the Texas Longhorns, the Trojans made a big push for Bowman, and he committed to USC.

One reason USC was able to flip four-star wide receiver signee Kayden Dixon-Wyatt is that he is a California native. Several of his high school teammates at Mater Dei advocated for USC, leading to his flip from Ohio State, which shows why in-state recruiting is important.

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Improving USC's Defense

With USC’s recruiting success across the defensive line, Fakatou’s commitment would help the Trojans maintain a dominant unit. The Trojans are working on improving their defense and have the young talent to create a consistent defensive line.

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. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

The team has several returning starters across the defensive line, including edge rushers Braylan Shelby and Kameryn Crawford. The two put pressure on opposing teams’ quarterbacks, as Crawford led the Trojans with 5.5 sacks last season, while Shelby totaled 4.5.

Also returning to the program is rising sophomore defensive lineman Jahkeem Stewart. Stewart joined USC as a four-star recruit with high anticipation, and while he was more of a rotational piece in 2025, he showed high upside. Stewart finished the season with 18 total tackles, 1.5 sacks, and 1 interception, all while playing the majority of the year with a stress fracture in his foot.

Through USC’s 2026 recruiting class, the Trojans are bringing in young talent across the defensive line with five-star Luke Wafle and four-star Jaimeon Winfield. 

If the Trojans can land Fakatou's commitment, that can lead to the program maintaining a talented defensive line for the next several years, helping USC compete 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

USC’s 2027 Class Growing

The Trojans have received two commitments from the 2027 recruiting class, looking to keep their momentum going. Four-star cornerback Aaryn Washington was the first to commit to the Trojans on Jan. 10. Just a month later, on Feb. 10, three-star wide receiver Eli Woodard committed to USC.

While the Trojans only have two commits so far, the program is making a push for some of the top recruits, such as five-star athlete Honor Fa’alave-Johnson, another in-state target.

Although USC is up against some of the nation's top programs in their push for Fakatou, their recruiting success can lead to the program keeping the elite defensive lineman in California.