USC Trojans Trending For This Five-Star Safety Recruit

The USC Trojans are looking to continue a trend from their 2026 recruiting class, trying to land the top in-state recruits.

Oct 21, 2023; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley watches from the sidelines against the Utah Utes in the first half at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The USC Trojans had a lot of success when it came to in-state recruiting during the 2026 cycle. Over half of their 2026 recruiting class hailed from California.

Now, the Trojans are hoping to use that momentum into the 2027 cycle. One of their top targets in the cycle is five-star safety Honor Fa’alave-Johnson, who is the No. 1 ranked player in California according to 247Sports’ rankings. 

Trojans Leading The Way

Dec 2, 2022; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley watches game action against the Utah Utes during the second half in the PAC-12 Football Championship at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Adam Gorney of Rivals reported that as Fa’alave-Johnson’s recruitment progresses along, the Trojans find themselves in a good spot. 

“The Trojans remain the frontrunner in his recruitment – family being so close and how USC wants to use him are two big factors – as Fa’alave-Johnson isn’t thinking about too many junior day visits and is more focused on meeting the coaches on his turf,” Gorney said. 

Fa’alave-Johnson attends Cathedral Catholic, which is located in San Diego. If he is looking to stay close to home, USC is located 110 miles away and a short drive up the I-5 Freeway. Compared to other schools that are in the mix like Alabama, Oklahoma, and Oregon, the Trojans can easily sell themselves as the hometown team. 

Honor Fa’alave-Johnson’s Recruiting Profile

Oct 15, 2022; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; USC Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley watches warm ups prior to a game against the Utah Utes at Rice-Eccles Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images | Rob Gray-Imagn Images

Checking in as the No. 1 safety and No. 20 player in the country according to 247Sports’ Composite rankings, Fa’alave-Johnson is the Golden State’s top rated player. The five-star safety is very familiar with USC. He’s taken four visits to Los Angeles.

The Trojans have a 63 percent chance of landing Fa’alave-Johnson’s commitment according to Rivals' Recruiting Prediction Machine. 

With 37 offers, he is one of the most sought-after players in the country and for good reason. Originally listed as an athlete, Fa’alave-Johnson made the decision to prioritize the defensive side of the ball at the next level. 

Fa’alave-Johnson is athletic enough to play both ways if needed and could be used in a similar way to Oregon safety Koi Perich. Formerly at Minnesota, Perich attempted to play a bit of offense this past season after breaking out onto the national stage after a stellar freshman season at safety in 2024. 

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USC's 2027 Safety Targets

Oct 28, 2023; Berkeley, California, USA; USC Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley before the game against the California Golden Bears at California Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

Fa'alave-Johnson isn't the only in-state safety recruit that is hearing from the Trojans.

Four-star Gavin Williams is also high on the Trojans' priority list. He is ranked as the No. 8 safety and No. 90 player in the country according to 247Sports' rankings. Williams is the No. 2 safety in California behind Fa'alave-Johnson. The RPM gives the Trojans a 36 percent chance of landing Williams.

USC has been hot on the trail for four-star safety Danny Lang as well. Lang can play multiple positions in the secondary, including safety, but is listed as the No. 9 cornerback and No. 57 player in the country. The Trojans were given a 95 percent chance of landing the in-state native by the RPM.