USC Trojans' Transfer Portal, Recruiting Strategies Paying Off

Following the 2026 NFL Draft and the conclusion of spring practice, the USC Trojans look ahead to next season with the hope of finding players who can replicate the players they lost to the NFL.

When it comes to developing NFL-caliber talent, each college program does it differently, whether it be through transfers or from high school recruiting. However, in the Big Ten, it seems that there are three programs that are near the top of developing transfers who make it to the next level.

USC Trojans NFL Development Key Takeaway Coach Lincoln Riley Big Ten Transfer Portal Recruit Development 2026 Season — Nov 29, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley leads the Spirit of Troy marching band in a rendition of Tribute to Troy after teh game against the UCLA Bruins at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Big Ten NFL Development

According to Andy Staples of On3, Oregon, USC, and Indiana are the three top schools in the Big Ten when it comes to developing transfers who are drafted to the NFL.

Based on these rankings from Staples, Oregon is the best in the country from any conference, as they have had 17 transfers drafted into the NFL from 2023 to 2026. Second from the Big Ten conference is USC, who have developed 10 transfers that have been selected in the NFL Draft in that same time frame. Lastly, Indiana has seen nine transfers selected into the NFL from 2023 to 2026.

Aside from seeing transfers selected, each of these Big Ten schools has also been able to develop talent they have recruited. From 2023 to 2026, Oregon has seen 14 non-transfers drafted, USC has seven, and Indiana has one.

With the understanding that the transfer portal has become a major part of college football, Oregon, USC, and Indiana have taken an aggressive approach, which has paid off and reveals one more interesting trend.

Big Ten Standings

With their success in the transfer portal, the likes of Oregon, USC, and Indiana have found what they hope to be a sustainable approach to win games every year.

Last season, Oregon finished third in the conference, USC finished fourth, and Indiana finished in first while winning the Big Ten title and eventually the national championship.

Based on this success at the top of the conference and their approach to getting there, it has become clear that using the transfer portal has become almost essential to win at the top level of college football.

Oregon and Indiana also experienced high levels of success in 2024 when Oregon won the Big Ten title, and Indiana was able to qualify for their first-ever College Football Playoff appearance. USC was not able to reach the top end of the conference, but was able to win its bowl game to end the season.

To be successful in a conference like the Big Ten, it appears that change is required on a consistent basis. Oregon, USC, and Indiana have been able to make the changes required, which have helped each of them to gradually progress into three of the top teams in the Big Ten.

USC’s NFL Draft Success

Taking transfers and non-transfers into account, the Trojans have seen 17 of their players selected in the NFL Draft since 2023, with many of these players finding success at the NFL level.

In that time span, USC has had three first-round picks, which include wide receiver Jordan Addison, quarterback Caleb Williams, and wide receiver Makai Lemon.

However, Williams started his career with USC coach Lincoln Riley in Oklahoma in 2021 before they both made the move to Southern California. The following season in 2022, Williams won the Heisman Trophy and was widely regarded as the best quarterback in college football before beginning his NFL career when he was selected No. 1 overall in the 2024 NFL Draft.

Addison was also a transfer addition for the Trojans, as he previously played for Pittsburgh, where he won the Biletnikoff Award as the nation’s best receiver in 2021. Addison then transferred to USC for the 2022 season and was drafted in the 2023 NFL Draft.

However, Lemon was a mainstay with USC as he improved every season, which ultimately led to him also winning the Biletnikoff Award, as he was considered by many to be the best receiver in the country in 2025. After his stellar 2025 campaign, Lemon was then selected in the 2026 NFL Draft.

The Takeaway For USC’s NFL Development

The main thing to take away from USC’s NFL development is the fact that they can do it consistently, but also the fact that they can get some of the top players in the country.

The Trojans' last three first-round picks were all at point considered the best at their position and seem to be in good situations to succeed in the NFL. While Williams and Addison were transfers, USC also showed it can develop great players, as demonstrated by how Lemon’s career turned out.

As the Trojans head into the 2026 season, it will be interesting to see which of their players can develop into NFL talent between their transfers and their recruits.

Riley and the Trojans are not just limited to developing transfers, they can also develop high school recruits into players who have the potential to be elite NFL players.

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