One USC Transfer Who Will Help Ease NFL Draft Losses and One Who Won't

Following the conclusion of the 2026 NFL Draft, the USC Trojans will look at their transfer portal class to fill key holes left on the roster with one transfer who could make an impact, but another who won’t.

Throughout the offseason, USC coach Lincoln Riley and the Trojans have made several additions in the transfer portal in hopes of replacing the players they lost to the draft and those who signed undrafted free agent deals.

In this transfer portal class, there have been several solid auditions, which include one transfer who could make a significant impact, but also one who won’t.

Tucker Ashcraft

Following the draft, the Trojans will now be without tight end Lake McRee, who was one of the more important pass catchers for USC last season. McRee established a great connection with quarterback Jayden Maiava, which led to consistent connections and occasionally led to explosive plays.

With the loss of McRee, Riley went into the transfer portal looking for his replacement. The answer Riley found in the portal was Wisconsin tight end Tucker Ashcraft.

Ashcraft has played three college seasons, all of which took place with the Badgers, and is looking to have his best season yet. In his time with Wisconsin, Ashcraft recorded 22 receptions for 178 yards and two touchdowns.

Ashcraft has not had the significant production that some of the top college tight ends have, but at Wisconsin, it was more centered around a physical rushing attack, which led to less production in the passing game. In addition to the scheme, Ashcraft also suffered an injury that significantly limited him last season.

Now with the Trojans, Ashcraft has recovered from his injury and had a solid performance during spring practice.

Ashcraft has a great opportunity to carve out a role for himself with USC under coach Riley and put himself in a position to have his best receiving season he has had at the collegiate level, especially with the amount of success Riley has found with tight ends.

Carrington Pierce

On the defensive side of the ball, one of the more interesting developments will be how the cornerback depth chart shakes out in the fall following the addition of Carrington Pierce. Another thing to note is that Pierce is joining his older brother Christian Pierce, who is already on the USC roster and has a good chance to start at safety next season.

Pierce transferred to USC after playing with four Oklahoma State last season, and received limited reps as he appeared in just one game. During the 2024 season, Pierce played at the Junior College level for Chaffey College, where he was able to put his skills on display.

In his 2024 campaign with Chaffey College, Pierce recorded 24 tackles, three tackles for loss, three interceptions, and six pass breakups while playing in 11 games.

Pierce’s production in his first season of organized football showed that he has the potential to be a solid corner with great athleticism, speed, and ball skills.

However, finding a role in the cornerback room for USC will not be easy for Pierce. Returning from the 2025 roster are cornerbacks Alex Graham, Marcelles Williams, Isaiah Rubin, Trestin Castro, Prophet Brown, Chasen Johnson, and RJ Sermons.

In addition to the returners, the Trojans also added a few more cornerbacks, including Jontez Williams, Elbert Hill IV, Brandon Lockhart, Joshua Holland II, and Jayden Crowder.

With the depth already on the roster, there’s a great chance that this season will be primarily a developmental season for Pierce as he continues to adapt to the Division 1 level.

While Pierce is hoping to be a contributor for the Trojans next season, his limited experience at the FBS level, added to the depth of the cornerback room, could create a situation where he serves as a developmental player for this season and potentially finds a role in 2027.

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