USC Coach Trovon Reed Building Another Elite Recruiting Class

Relationships still matter in recruiting. Even in the NIL era, building genuine relationships hold weight with recruits. It’s not just about the money.

USC cornerbacks coach Trovon Reed has been a phenomenal hire for head coach Lincoln Riley since he joined the program in January 2025 because of the growth of his position group down the stretch this past season and his pivotal role in the Trojans recent recruiting success.

Trovon Reed Resonates with Recruits

USC Trojans Lincoln Riley Danny Lang Commitment Honor Fa'alave-Johnson Mater Dei Trovon Reed Spring Practice Recruiting — Sep 30, 2023; Boulder, Colorado, USA; USC Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley during the game against the Colorado Buffaloes at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Chet Strange-Imagn Images | Chet Strange-Imagn Images

Reed had a reputation as a great recruiter before he came to Los Angeles. He is incredibly relatable to players from different parts of the country. He won a national championship with Auburn in 2010 before he played in the NFL for a few seasons. Prior to joining the coaching ranks with UCF in 2024, Reed was the director of football and player relations at his alma mater.

Recruits have raved about his authenticity and describe him as like an older brother. Reed is passionate about what he does but he doesn’t just care about making his guys into great football players, he is also committed turning them into young men off the field.

The Trojans coach quickly made waves on the 2026 cycle when he landed four-star cornerback Elbert Hill last spring overall several high-profile suitors. The Ohio native has been excellent since day one in spring practice and drawn praise from Riley.

Reed also landed four-star safety and Georgia native Peyton Dyer last summer and flipped Santa Margarita (Calif.) three-star cornerback Jayden Crowder, who has also generated buzz this spring, from Cal in the fall. He played a massive role in Southern Cal signing the No. 1 recruiting class for the first time in 20 years.

And Reed has not slowed down in the 2027 class in an effort to keep stacking elite recruiting classes in the secondary. He landed a commitment from IMG Academy (Fla.) four-star cornerback and top 100 recruit Aaryn Washington in January and then another from Washington’s former teammate, Mater Dei (Calif.) four-star cornerback and top 100 recruit Danny Lang on Wednesday night.

“The best in California, stay in California. Overall, what made me pick SC is T. Reed,” Lang said on the CBS Sports College Football broadcast.

USC’s 2027 Recruiting Class in the Secondary

USC signed an impressive class in the secondary last cycle and are off to great start in this cycle with Washington, Lang and San Diego (Calif.) Cathedral Catholic five-star athlete Honor Fa’alave-Johnson.

Fa'alave-Johnson, the No. 1 athlete and player in California, is expected to play both sides of the ball with the Trojans, one of which will be at safety. It's an elite trio of recruits but USC is not done adding to the backend of the defense.

Some other notable targets include, Damien (Calif.) four-star safety Gavin Williams, who was recently on campus on March 13 after visiting the Coliseum three times last fall. The Trojans have some tough competition for the talented safety but Williams does have an official visit scheduled with USC.

Prattville (Ala.) four-star safety Jayden Aparicio-Bailey is originally from the Los Angeles area and returned for a visit on Tuesday. USC is making a strong push to get an official visit. St. John Bosco (Calif.) four-star cornerback Jailen Hill is a recruit to keep an eye on as they battle several other Big Ten schools.

Sign up to our free newsletter and follow us on Facebook, and X for the latest news.