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USC coaches visit coveted 4-star OT target Malakai Lee

hunterby:Hunter Shelton•05/06/25•

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Malakai Lee (Scott Schrader/On3)

USC currently has its grip on the No. 1 spot in the 2026 On3 Industry Team Recruiting Rankings thanks to a stacked class that already features 27 commits. The Trojans are still trending to add more blue-chippers to the fold.

One of the top targets still on the board for the Big Ten progam is Honolulu (Hi.) Kamehameha Secondary four-star offensive tackle Malakai Lee. The towering 6-foot-7, 310-pounder included the Trojans in his top six back in February. Since then, he’s spent ample time around the USC staff.

Lee visited Los Angeles again in April. He’s also locked in an official visit for the weekend of June 6. Before then, though, USC OL coach Zach Hanson, DL coach Shaun Nua and assistant head coach Rob Ryan each made their way to Hawaii this week to visit Lee:

The On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine already favors USC. On3 VP of Recruiting Steve Wiltfong logged a prediction in favor of the Trojans landing the blue-chipper back in February. Lee’s other finalists are Alabama, Georgia, Texas, Michigan and BYU.

“The history and the culture are things I really like about USC,” Lee told On3’s Chad Simmons last month. “The coaches are great at USC. They are on the west coast and they have a lot of Poly’s there, so having that family foundation there would be nice. They have developed a lot of Poly’s too, so that is another thing I like about USC.”

Lee is the No. 107 overall prospect and No. 9 OT in the 2026 cycle, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. He’s also the No. 2 player in Hawaii.

“Development, education and where I feel most at home are the three most important things in my decision,” Lee added.

Trojans already have loaded OL class

Of the 27 commits already in the mix for head coach Lincoln Riley and his staff, six are offensive linemen. On May 1, Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy four-star OT Keenyi Pepe committed. He ranks No. 44 nationally and No. 5 at the tackle position.

Coach Riley has the program going in the right direction and I like him and the staff. It is a school I am high on because of the coaches and the people there,” Pepe previously told On3.

Pepe is one of two blue-chip O-linemen in the class, alongside Draper (Utah) Corner Canyon four-star IOL Esun Tafa. The 6-foot-5 Beehive State standout is a top-20 prospect at his position.

Denver Valor Christian three-star IOL Kannon Smith, Folsom (Calif.) three-star OT Vlad Dyakonov, Mountain View (Calif.) St. Francis three-star IOL John Fifita and San Diego Cathedral Catholic OT Chase Deniz are also in the mix.

In total, the USC class features eight top-100 prospects and 15 total blue-chip prospects. A pair of five-stars in Gainesville (Ga.) linebacker Xavier Griffin and Rancho Cucamonga (Calif.) cornerback RJ Sermons sit atop the pledge list.