Walker Lyons’ Transfer Portal Decision Reshapes USC’s Tight End Room

USC Trojans sophomore tight end Walker Lyons will enter the transfer portal, he announced on Wednesday.

Lyons saw an increased role in the Trojans offense this season, appearing in all 12 games. He served as the No. 2 tight end Lake McRee, who announced last week that he will not be playing the upcoming bowl game against TCU on Dec. 30 to prepare for the NFL Draft.

USC Trojans Recruit Recruiting Class Alamo Bowl Walker Lyons Lake McRee Mark Bowman Josiah Jefferson Mater Dei TCU NFL Draft — Nov 30, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans tight end Walker Lyons (85) carries the ball against Notre Dame Fighting Irish safety Xavier Watts (0) in the second half at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Lyons, a four-star recruit in the 2023 cycle, caught 20 passes for 223 yards, both ranking fifth on the team and two touchdowns in 2025.

After taking his year-long LDS mission following his high school graduation, Lyons enrolled at Southern Cal in the summer of 2024. The Folsom (Calif.) product appeared in 23 games over the past two seasons and will have two seasons of eligibility remaining.

Who is Available at Tight End for the Bowl Game?

USC will be without its two starting tight ends for the Alamo Bowl, so, who is left to catch passes at that position for Jayden Maiava.

Freshman Nela Tupou could be the first player to step in. Topou appeared in four games this season but because bowl games don’t count towards eligibility, he can still play and preserve his redshirt.

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Topou was primarily a special teams contributor, but in the regular season finale against UCLA, he served as the third tight end, meaning he has continued to move up the depth chart throughout the year.

Topou comes from the same high school as Lyons and could get a head start on next year’s tight end competition. Carson Tabaracci caught a touchdown in the season opener. Joey Olsen and Walter Matthews will also be available.

Pair of Talented Tight Ends Headed to USC

Lincoln Riley used more 12 personnel this season, than any other year since he became the USC head coach in 2022.

The hiring of tight ends and inside receivers coach Chad Savage in January led to an increased production from McRee and Lyons this season.

Savage helped the Trojans offense evolve on the field and off the field, he played a massive role in them finishing with the No. 1 ranked recruiting class in the 2026 cycle.

Mater Dei (Calif.) five-star tight end Mark Bowman is one of the crown jewels of USC’s recruiting class. Originally, a 2027 prospect, Bowman reclassified at the turn of the year and at the time, the Trojans had close to zero communication with highly coveted recruit.

When Savage arrived, everything changed. He was aggressive in his pursuit of Bowman in the spring and after battling several SEC programs, the Trojans landed a commitment from him before official visit began in May.

USC also didn’t make a significant investment with NIL in Bowman for him not to have a big role in the offense as a true freshman. Bowman has drawn comparisons to Las Vegas Raiders tight end Brock Bowers because of his position flexibility, advanced route running and rare combination of size and speed at the position.

Josiah Jefferson, the No. 1 ranked JUCO tight end took an official visit to watch the Trojans defeat Michigan on Oct. 11. Jefferson flipped his commitment from Utah to USC later that month. He is the younger brother of Los Angels Chargers safety Tony Jefferson.

Bowman and Jefferson are two plug-and-play guys for Southern Cal in 2026.

Who is Available at Tight End for the Bowl Game?

Pair of Talented Tight Ends Headed to USC

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