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USC Trojans Recruiting: Massive 4-Star DL Viliami Moala Commits To 'Dream School' USC

Lincoln Riley and USC landed a big commitment in the 2026 recruiting class when four-star defensive lineman Viliami Moala announced his commitment to the Trojans.
Randall Sweet|
Lincoln Riley (left) and Viliami Moala (right)
Lincoln Riley (left) and Viliami Moala (right) | Viliami Moala via Twitter/X

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On Tuesday night, Lincoln Riley and USC landed a big commitment in the 2026 recruiting class when four-star defensive lineman Viliami Moala announced his commitment to the Trojans.

Listed at 6-foot-3 and 295 pounds, Moala is rated the No. 208 overall prospect and No. 12 defensive lineman in the nation, according to ESPN.

The Bingham (UT) star is the sixth player to commit to USC in the upcoming cycle, joining Gainesville (GA) linebacker Xavier Griffin, Loyola (CA) defensive back Brandon Lockhart, Los Alamitos (CA) wide receiver Ja'Myron Baker, St. John Bosco (CA) athlete Joshua Holland and Sierra Canyon (CA) athlete Madden Riordan.

Moala's commitment gives the Trojans the No. 6 recruiting class in the nation, according to On3. The big-time defensive lineman's decision comes on the heels of a trip to USC to see defensive coordinator D'Anton Lynn's defense blank Utah State.

USC Trojans defensive end Devan Thompkins
Sep 7, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; USC Trojans defensive end Devan Thompkins (98) sacks Utah State Aggies quarterback Bryson Barnes (16) during the third quarter at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Hui-Imagn Images | Jonathan Hui-Imagn Images

"To be honest, man, I always loved USC,” Moala told On3. “They’ve always been my dream school. My first visit to USC they brought me on campus and that’s when I got my offer my sophomore year. It just felt at home and everyone at USC it’s a great environment and I want to be around it."

Aside from Southern Cal's new defensive coordinator, Moala said that USC defensive ends coach Shaun Nua played a big factor in his recruitment. Nua is in his third season with the Trojans after spending the previous three years at Michigan, where he coached elite defensive lineman like Aiden Hutchinson and Kwity Paye.

Nua has plenty of experience as a college football player himself, earning All-Conference honors in his time at BYU before winning a Super Bowl ring as a member of the Steelers' 2006 squad.

Pittsburgh Steelers defensive end Shaun Nua
Aug 3, 2006; Latrobe, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers defensive end (96) Shaun Nua sprays water to his face during their afternoon training camp practice at St. Vincent College. Mandatory Credit: Jason Bridge-Imagn Images Copyright (c) 2006 Imagn Images | Jason Bridge-Imagn Images

With a wealth of playing and coaching experience, Nua seemed to be a big draw for Moala.

"The last visit watching (USC) against Utah State and watching Coach Nua do his thing on the field," Moala told On3. "How he coaches his players and the aggression that he instills into his players, I want to be part of that with Coach Nua."

Moala's aggressive play style on the field is one of his strengths, as the junior defensive lineman plays with impressive physicality and strength, easily deconstructing blocks in the run game and pushing the pocket when the opposing quarterback attempts a pass.

The 4-star prospect's physicality is an important attribute as the Trojans begin their tenure in the Big Ten, playing against some of the best offensive lineman in the country on a weekly basis.

Even at 6-3, Moala plays with good pad level and has a solid first step off the ball, making him a nightmare for opposing offenses.

"Moala is dominant two-way player who is getting looked at equally as a nose guard as well as center/offensive guard in college," Greg Biggins wrote for 247Sports. "Light on his feet, moves well laterally and has a strong punch that can jar an opposing tackle. Defensively, he’s more of a straight line bull rusher but shows good hands and a quick first step. He’s a true nose who can handle double teams, stuff the run and win one on one matchups with his strength and toughness. Projects as a high Power 4 prospect who should be able to compete for early playing time in college."

Moala 's commitment continues a hot stretch on the recruiting trail for USC after the Trojans landed Baker and Ty Jackson in the past eight days.

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Randall Sweet
RANDALL SWEET

Randall Sweet is a Staff Writer for Sports Illustrated covering the Oklahoma Sooners, Oklahoma State Cowboys, USC Trojans, Oklahoma City Thunder and Houston Rockets. Since graduating from the University of Oklahoma in 2022 with a bachelor's degree in journalism, Randall has covered professional, collegiate and high school sports across the country as a credentialed media member. While in college, Randall wrote for the OU Daily and logged bylines in The Norman Transcript in addition to working with Sooner Sports Pad and OU Nightly. Following his time at OU, Randall served as the Communications Coordinator at Visit Oklahoma City before leaving to join the team at Sports Illustrated.

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