USC Trojans Trending to Land Local Five-Star Recruit

The USC Trojans look to land one of the biggest local recruits in the class of 2027.

Dec 30, 2025; San Antonio, TX, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley watches in the first half against the TCU Horned Frogs during the Alamo Bowl at Alamodome. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The USC Trojans appear to be in strong position to secure one of the most coveted prospects in the 2027 recruiting cycle. Five-star athlete Honor Fa’alave-Johnson, the nation’s No. 1-rated athlete, is set to announce his college commitment live at 12 p.m. PT on Saturday, March 14, on CBS Sports HQ, and the Trojans appear to be trending in the right direction.

According to the Rivals Recruiting Prediction Machine, USC currently holds an 83.9 percent chance to land Fa’alave-Johnson, well ahead of the next closest being their Big Ten rivals, the Oregon Ducks, at 13.9 percent.

USC is trending heavily to land 5-star ATH Honor Fa’alave-Johnson, according to the Rivals Recruiting Prediction Machine✌️

Honor will announce his commitment on March 14⏳

Read: https://t.co/VPGZeeia4N pic.twitter.com/QrLOenkCCC

— Rivals (@Rivals) March 11, 2026

The elite two-way star from Cathedral Catholic High School in San Diego will choose between USC, Oregon, the Miami Hurricanes, Texas Longhorns, LSU Tigers, and Notre Dame Fighting Irish. For Lincoln Riley’s program, the decision could represent another major step toward continuing USC’s recruiting dominance in California.

What Honor Fa’alave-Johnson Could Bring to USC

Fa’alave-Johnson enters the recruiting spotlight as one of the most versatile players in the country. Ranked the No. 1 athlete and No. 18 overall prospect nationally in the Rivals Industry Rankings, he has starred on both sides of the ball during his career at Cathedral Catholic.

His junior season showcased that two-way dominance. On offense, Fa’alave-Johnson rushed for 1,265 yards and 21 touchdowns while adding 35 receptions for 564 yards and seven scores as a dynamic playmaker. On defense, he recorded 38 tackles, two interceptions, one tackle for loss, and four pass breakups, demonstrating elite instincts and ball skills.

Sep 20, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley watches game action against the Michigan State Spartans during the second half at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Despite his offensive production, most recruiting analysts expect Fa’alave-Johnson to play safety at the collegiate level, where his combination of size, speed, and physicality projects well in the secondary.

USC’s coaching staff has already made a strong impression during the recruiting process. Fa’alave-Johnson has taken four unofficial visits to Los Angeles, giving him repeated opportunities to evaluate the program and build relationships with the coaching staff. Those visits appear to have paid off. If that projection holds, the Trojans would add one of the most versatile defenders in the country to their future secondary.

USC Continues to Build Through Cali Pipeline

Landing Fa’alave-Johnson would also reinforce a clear recruiting philosophy developing under Lincoln Riley and general manager Chad Savage: locking down the state of California. The Trojans have already secured four commitments in the 2027 class, with a strong West Coast presence at the core of the group. Current pledges include:

- Quentin Hale, four-star wide receiver
- Eli Woodard, four-star wide receiver
- Isaia Vandermade, three-star defensive lineman
- Aaryn Washington, four-star cornerback

Aug 30, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley reacts during the game against the Missouri State Bears at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Three of those four commitments come directly from California high schools, reflecting USC’s renewed emphasis on keeping elite local talent close to home.

The Trojans are also pursuing several other major in-state targets. Four-star tight end Charles Davis from Westlake Village is considered a strong USC lean, while four-star cornerback Danny Lang of Mater Dei is scheduled to announce his decision on July 2 after official visits with USC along with Oregon and the Auburn Tigers.

Fa’alave-Johnson fits directly into that broader recruiting strategy. As the highest-ranked player in California, he represents the type of homegrown star USC has historically built championship rosters around.

Aug 30, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley watches from the sidelines against the Missouri State Bears in the first half at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Currently, USC’s 2027 recruiting class ranks No. 20 nationally according to 247Sports. However, that ranking could rise quickly if the Trojans secure commitments from players like Fa’alave-Johnson, Davis, and Lang in the coming months.

For now, all eyes turn to Saturday’s announcement. If recruiting projections prove accurate, the Trojans could soon add another cornerstone prospect from their own backyard and continue building momentum for the future of the program.

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