USC holding onto nation’s No. 1 recruiting class as pivotal season begins

Heading into an all-important season in terms of on-field results, Lincoln Riley and USC hold the nation’s top overall class in the Rivals Industry Football Team Recruiting Rankings.

As we open close out August and the Trojans open their year against Missouri State on Saturday, they hold a whopping 32 commitments — the second-most of any Power 4 program in the country. That marks an increase of seven commitments more than what they signed in the 2025 class, with a couple more potential flip targets or senior risers being added this fall.

Of the group, two check in as five-stars, while 20 more check in as four-stars and another 10 check in as three-stars. And a number of those are on the cusp of attaining blue-chip status.

All of that is after the Trojans saw a few departures from the group, notably five-star linebacker Xavier Griffin, who opted to decommit in May. He was one of two early five-star commits, along with Rancho Cucamonga (Calif.) CB RJ Sermons, who joined the class on Dec. 13. He opted to graduate early and reclassify up a year to USC’s 2025 class on May 23.

It didn’t take Riley and Co. long to find another elite prospect though, as five-star tight end Mark Bowman pledged to the Trojans exactly a week later. He joined a group headlined by top-150 quarterback Jonas Williams, who USC flipped away from rival Oregon. They also poached four-star defensive lineman Tomuhini Topui from the Ducks, as well as beating them out for five-star offensive tackle Keenyi Pepe.

In total, more than half of the Trojans’ class hails from the Golden State (53%), and 69% of current commits are blue-chip prospects in the Rivals Industry Ranking. Alongside Bowman and Pepe, USC has top-100 commitments from CB Elbert Hill (No. 35), EDGE Luke Wafle (No. 45), WR Boobie Feaster (No. 52), DL Jaimeon Winfield (No. 73), EDGE Simote Katoanga (No. 77), LB Talanoa Ili (No. 84), CB Brandon Lockhart (No. 89) and RB Shahn Alston (No. 100).

With a little more than three full months until Signing Day, their class holds a team score of 93.202, just ahead of Georgia’s 93.058.