JUCO 4-star tight end Josiah Jefferson flips commitment from Utah to USC

Four-star junior college tight end Josiah Jefferson has flipped his commitment from Utah to USC, he tells Rivals’ Hayes Fawcett.

The 6-foot-5, 230-pounder had been pledged to the Utes since June, when he chose them over more than a dozen other reported offers. But after visiting Los Angeles earlier this month, he joins a Trojans class that ranks No. 1 nationally.

As for Jefferson, he is the No. 5 overall JUCO prospect in the 2026 class, according to the Rivals Industry Ranking, an equally weighted average that utilizes all three major recruiting services. He also ranks as the No. 1 junior college tight end in the country.

BREAKING: Elite JUCO TE Josiah Jefferson has Flipped his Commitment from Utah to USC, he tells me for @rivals

The 6’4 230 TE had been Committed to the Utes since June

He’s ranked as the No. 1 TE in Junior College (per Rivals)https://t.co/0T9Ko0Mwt3 pic.twitter.com/VcgsYBBU4B

— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) October 27, 2025

Ahead of his season at Southwestern College, he was named a preseason Junior College All-American by JucoGridiron.com. Through seven games this fall, he has hauled in 27 receptions for 353 yards (13.1 YPC) and four touchdowns for the California-based junior college.

During his first season there, he finished 23 receptions and 213 yards.

Jefferson took official visits over the summer to Oklahoma, Arizona and Utah before eventually deciding to commit to the Utes. But prior to that, he had been in contact with USC after his first season at the junior college level.

With a standout year under his belt this fall, more teams came calling but he ultimately decided to stick in the Golden State.

Jefferson, who is the younger brother of Los Angeles Chargers safety Tony Jefferson, is local to Chula Vista and will now play within just a couple hours of home. He is the second tight end commitment of the cycle for Lincoln Riley and the Trojans, who already have a pledge from five-star Mater Dei (Calif.) pass-catcher Mark Bowman.

With Jefferson in the fold, USC is up to 35 total commitments from the high school and junior college ranks — second only to North Carolina’s 38.