USC football recruiting: Elite OT Keenyi Pepe pledges to Trojans' 2026 class

USC more firmly entrenched its place at No. 1 in the 2026 college football recruiting rankings after earning the commitment of offensive tackle Keenyi Pepe.

Offensive lineman Pepe Keenyi (#71) during practice on Friday, Aug. 2, 2024 on IMG Academy Football Media Day in Bradenton, Florida. | Mike Lang / Sarasota Herald-Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK

USC strengthened its case as the No. 1 team in the 2026 college football recruiting rankings after offensive tackle Keenyi Pepe pledged to the Trojans.

Pepe is considered the No. 5 offensive lineman prospect in the country and the No. 44 overall player, according to an average of the four national recruiting services.

ESPN and 247Sports call Pepe a five-star recruit, while Rivals and On3 Sports named the IMG Academy product a four-star prospect.

Pepe is rated as the No. 3 offensive lineman and the No. 9 overall recruit, according to the industry-generated 247Sports Composite.

The native of Long Beach, Calif., chose USC over finalists Georgia, Florida, Texas, and Miami.

Pepe’s commitment to the Trojans comes after the player said members of Lincoln Riley’s coaching staff had been in communication with him every day.

His arrival marks the 25th pledge USC has received in its 2026 football recruiting efforts, and illustrates another important gain as the program rebuilds its lines of scrimmage.

Defensive linemen Jaimeon Winfield from Texas, Tomuhini Topui from local football power Mater Dei, and Braeden Jones from Chicago are the foundation of USC’s class at the position.

Four-star interior offensive lineman Esun Tafa tops the Trojans’ commitments at the position, as do tackle Vlad Dyakonov from Folsom (Calif.) and guard Kannon Smith from Denver.

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