USC Trojans Snub in NFL Draft Rankings Could Be Cause for Concern

While it is early in the process, many NFL Draft analysts have started to look ahead to the 2027 NFL Draft and the top prospects at each position prior to the start of the college football season.

Even though the USC Trojans and coach Lincoln Riley do have several prospects who are draft eligible, it does appear that USC has been very underrated in terms of top-tier talent to start the season.

USC Trojans Completely Left Out Early 2027 NFL Draft Rankings Quarterback Jayden Maiava Coach Lincoln Riley Big Ten — Nov 22, 2025; Eugene, Oregon, USA; Southern California Trojans quarterback Jayden Maiava (14) warms up before the game against the Oregon Ducks at Autzen Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images | Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images

No USC Players Included In 2027 NFL Draft Ranking

In preparation for the 2027 NFL Draft, ESPN NFL Draft analysts Jordan Reid and Matt Miller ranked the top five prospects at every position on both sides of the ball.

When taking a look at the ranking from Reid and Miller, one of the biggest takeaways is the fact that no USC players have been included on this list, even though the Trojans return the most starters in the country, with 15 starters coming back for the 2026 season.

Without a doubt, the biggest snub from this list is quarterback Jayden Maiava, who had a great performance in 2025 as he finished fifth in the nation in passing, recording 3,711 passing yards. Maiava was also able to add 24 passing touchdowns, in addition to 157 yards and six touchdowns on the ground as a rusher.

The players that Reid and Miller have in their respective top fives at the quarterback position are Texas’s Arch Mannining, Oregon’s Dante Moore, Miami’s Darian Mensah, Notre Dame’s CJ Carr, Oklahoma State’s Drew Mestemaker, and include LaNorris Sellers as a player to watch. In looking at these six quarterbacks, they are very talented, however, as a passer, Maiava was more productive than Manning, Moore, and Carr.

While the quarterback position has evolved into more and more players being dual-threat quarterbacks, for Maiava to be fifth in the nation in passing yards and No. 1 in the entire country for QBR, it does seem that he has been a major snub from these rankings, especially when considering he is playing like this in a conference like the Big Ten.

However, it is very early in the process, which gives Maiava plenty of time to prove that he belongs in the conversation to be one of the top five quarterbacks in the country if he can have an impressive 2026 with the Trojans.

In addition to Maiava, some of the draft-eligible USC players snubbed from these rankings include running back Waymond Jordan, wide receiver Terrell Anderson, offensive tackle Elijah Paige, defensive tackle Jide Abasiri, defensive end Kameryn Crawford, and defensive end Braylan Shelby.

The USC Trojans have talent on the roster, but not having any prospects crack the top five at their positions could be cause for concern. With the most returning starters in college football, will the Trojans' experience be enough to lead to wins?

The Trojans also have an infusion of younger talent on the roster like wide receiver Tanook Hines, tight end Mark Bowman, and defensive lineman Jahkeem Stewart expected to take on larger roles.

USC has had three players selected in the previous two NFL Drafts, but CFP teams have led the way with more talented rosters, in the eyes of the NFL. Indiana's improbable championship run led to eight NFL Draft picks, while Miami and Texas Tech had nine players drafted. Meanwhile, Iowa, LSU, Washington, and Florida had seven draft picks and missed the postseason.

If Reid and Miller are right about the lack of high-end draft potential on USC's roster, the Trojans may be a farther away from the CFP than expected.

Jayden Maiava's Potential at USC

As Maiava enters his third season with Riley, leaning on Riley’s experience in developing quarterbacks could help Maiava to have his best collegiate season yet.

One area Maiava could improve that could make a huge difference in his draft stock is his productivity as a rusher. In draft rankings across a variety of media outlets like ESPN, Arch Manning is widely considered to be one of the top quarterbacks, and his ability to run the ball appears to be a huge boost to his stock, as he recorded 399 yards and 10 touchdowns on the ground.

To help Maiava grow as a rusher, Riley could be a huge benefit after coaching both Kyler Murray and Caleb Williams with great success as dual-threat quarterbacks. From a schematic standpoint, Riley’s ability to call more designed runs alone could help Maivava to find more success, especially in the red zone, and with Maiava’s 6-4 and 230-pound frame, he is very tough to bring down.

While Maiava is a great passer, his ability to become a dangerous threat on the ground as well could help him to not only climb the draft rankings but may also help USC to find success in the Big Ten and on the national stage.

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