USC Recruits in Southern California Turning Heads Early in Senior Seasons

USC Trojans recruits from Southern California like four-star defensive back Danny Lang are already making noise for their respective high school football teams.

Mater Dei (Calif.) 2027 cornerback and USC Trojans commit Danny Lang | USC Trojans on SI

Mater Dei (Calif.) four-star cornerback Danny Lang is a prized recruit in USC’s 2027 recruiting class. He is the No. 35 overall prospect, No. 3 cornerback and No. 4 recruit in California according to 247Sports. 

The local product is a polished, aggressive cornerback that plays with great technique and has elite length. Lang has starred at the national powerhouse in Orange County for the past two seasons, which included winning a national championship in 2024 with four Trojan freshmen. 

Mater Dei (Calif.) 2027 cornerback and USC Trojans commit Danny Lang | USC Trojans on SI

Lang is on the border of becoming a five-star recruit and is making some early noise his senior season. 

In week 1, Lang recorded an interception in a win over American Fork (Utah). The following week, Lang’s kickoff return touchdown was instrumental in Mater Dei (Calif.) pulling off a narrow 32-26 victory over Orem (Utah). 

Before entering Trinity League play, Lang will be featured in multiple marquee matchups, including one against a fellow USC commit in early September. 

Local USC Commits Making Noise 

Corona Centennial (Calif.) four-star receiver and USC Trojans commit Quentin Hale | USC Trojans on SI

Mater Dei and Corona Centennial (Calif.), who features four-star receiver commit Quentin Hale, will matchup on Sept. 11. Centennial stunned Mater Dei twice last season en route to a berth in the CIF Southern Section Division I Championship. 

Hale and Lang squared off in the South County Classic passing tournament at Mission Viejo in July. This time, they will do it for real on the field.

Hale, the No. 50 overall prospect, No. 8 receiver and No. 7, is making his own case for his fifth star. After a stellar offseason, Hale has carried that momentum in pads. The Trojans four-star commit is in his first season playing for the Southern California power. Through two games, Hale has reeled in 15 catches for 256 yards and three touchdowns. 

Five-star athlete commit Honor Fa’alave-Johnson continues to shine on both sides of the ball for San Diego (Calif.) Cathedral Catholic. Fa’alave-Johnson will play safety on defense at USC but is lining up at cornerback in his senior season.

On offense, he rushed two touchdowns in their first game against Orange Lutheran (Calif.), showcasing why the Trojans plan on making him a two-way star at the collegiate level.

San Diego (Calif.) Cathedral Catholic athlete and USC Trojans commit Honor Fa'alave-Johnson | Kendell Hollowell @Khollowell_

Damien (Calif.) four-star safety commit Gavin Williams is getting it done in all three facets of the game. In week 2, Williams caught one touchdown and returned a kickoff for a touchdown. He is his team’s leading tackler through two games, has two tackles for loss and a sack. 

Isaia Vandermade continues to be a dominant force on Santa Margarita’s defensive front. The three-star commit has two tackles for loss through two games and was incredibly disruptive in a win over Corona Centennial in week 2. Oaks Christian (Calif.) four-star defensive lineman commit Alifeleti Tuihalamaka has four tackles for loss and a sack through two games. 

St. John Bosco (Calif.) three-star linebacker Josiah Poyer has made a living himself in the backfield with a team-high 3.5 tackles for loss through two games. 

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