USC retains No. 1 class after latest Rivals300 rankings updates

When USC took over the No. 1 recruiting class in the Rivals Industry Football Team Rankings back in March, plenty of pundits and fans from other school proclaimed it would be short-lived.

But more than six months later — and with only 10 weeks to go until National Signing Day — the Trojans are still on top. Midway through the month of September, they hold a whopping 32 commitments — the second-most of any Power 4 program in the country. But it isn’t just about sheer quantity.

Lincoln Riley and Co. are one of eight teams with multiple five-star commitments (2) while 20 more of their pledges check in as four-stars and another 10 check in as three-stars. The twenty-two total blue-chippers are second to only Georgia this cycle. That comes less than a year after the Trojans just signed 10 in 2025.

And to think they could have even more. Rancho Cucamonga (Calif.) CB RJ Sermons, who joined the class on Dec. 13, was an early five-star in the industry rankings. He opted to graduate early and reclassify up a year to USC’s 2025 class on May 23.

The Trojans haven’t had any trouble filling up this class, even with a pivotal year on the field awaiting Riley and his staff. Five-star Santa Ana (Calif.) Mater Dei tight end Mark Bowman pledged to the Trojans in May and headlines the class as a top-15 player nationally. Offensive tackle Keenyi Pepe, originally from California before transferring to Florida’s IMG Academy, joins him.

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. 34), EDGE Luke Wafle (No. 45), WR Boobie Feaster (No. 53), DL Jaimeon Winfield (No. 65), LB Talanoa Ili (No. 83), CB Brandon Lockhart (No. 87), and EDGE Simote Katoanga (No. 93). Meanwhile, running backs Shahn Alston (No. 105) and Deshonne Redeaux (No. 119) sit just outside the top 100 players.

With a little more than three full months until Signing Day, their class holds a team score of 93.222, just ahead of Georgia’s 93.049. If the Trojans can keep winning on the field and ink this full class come December, they have a chance at their first No. 1 recruiting ranking since 2006.

USC Trojans commitments by position

Quarterback
Four-star Jonas Williams, No. 143 NATL. (No. 9 QB)

Running Back
Four-star Shahn Alston, No. 105 NATL. (No. 9 RB)
Four-star Deshonne Redeaux, No. 119 NATL. (No. 12 RB)

Wide Receiver
Four-star Boobie Feaster, No. 53 NATL. (No. 5 WR)
Four-star Trent Mosley, No. 204 NATL. (No. 34 WR)
Four-star Luc Weaver, No. 309 NATL. (No. 52 WR)
Four-star Roderick Tezeno, No. 396 NATL. (No. 62 WR)
Three-star Ja’Myron Baker, No. 568 NATL. (No. 88 WR)

Tight end
Five-star Mark Bowman, No. 16 NATL. (No. 1 TE)

Offensive tackle
Five-star Keenyi Pepe, No. 25 NATL. (No. 4 OT)
Four-star Vlad Dyakonov, No. 157 NATL. (No. 12 OT)
Three-star Chase Deniz, No. 1018 NATL. (No. 77 OT)

Interior offensive linemen
Four-star Esun Tafa, No. 230 NATL. (No. 17 IOL)
Four-star Breck Kolojay, No. 337 NATL. (No. 30 IOL)
Three-star Kannon Smith, No. 535 NATL. (No. 52 IOL)
Three-star John Fifita, No. 1015 NATL. (No. 97 IOL)

Defensive Line
Four-star Jaimeon Winfield, No. 65 NATL. (No. 4 DL)
Four-star Tomuhini Topui, No. 125 NATL. (No. 13 DL)
Four-star Braeden Jones, No. 264 NATL. (No. 29 DL)
Three-star Jake Johnson, No. 863 NATL. (No. 89 DL)
Three-star Malik Brooks, No. 1318 NATL. (No. 127 DL)

EDGE
Four-star Luke Wafle, No. 45 NATL. (No. 9 EDGE)
Four-star Simote Katoanga, No. 93 NATL. (No. 13 EDGE)
Four-star Shaun Scott, No. 345 NATL. (No. 36 EDGE)
Three-star Andrew Williams, No. 747 NATL. (No. 78 EDGE)

Linebacker
Four-star Talanoa Ili, No. 83 NATL. (No. 5 LB)
Three-star Taylor Johnson, No. 881 NATL. (No. 76 LB)

Cornerback
Four-star Elbert Hill, No. 34 NATL. (No. 4 CB)
Four-star Brandon Lockhart, No. 87 NATL. (No. 11 CB)
Four-star Peyton Dyer, No. 247 NATL. (No. 25 CB)
Three-star Joshua Holland, No. 558 NATL. (No. 53 ATH)

Safety
Three-star Madden Riordan, No. 698 NATL. (No. 62 S)