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USC offers No. 1 safety prospect in class of 2026

On3 imageby: Marshall Levenson10/04/23MarshallLevyOn3
blaine-bradford
2026 S Blaine Bradford (Sam Spiegelman, On3)

USC dished out some offers at safety yesterday to prospects in varying recruiting cycles. There was one offer in the 2026 class and it happened to be the current No. 1 ranked safety in the On3 Industry Rankings, Baton Rouge (La.) Catholic’s Blaine Bradford.

Catholic is one of the top prep programs in the state of Louisiana so it is no surprise to see the have another elite prospect among their youth.

USC joined a list of a very impressive offer list. As a sophomore, Bradford holds offers from LSU, Notre Dame, Georgia, Texas A&M, Mississippi State, Tennessee, Florida State, Penn State, Ole Miss, Arkansas, Vanderbilt, Baylor, Oklahoma, and now USC. It’s a ‘who’s who’ of the southern power programs for the most part.

I am waiting to hear from Bradford some more on the offer but he did mention that USC Trojans Assistant AD/Director of Player Relations Gavin Morris is a family friend and there is a preexisting relationship. That could give USC a potential area to lean on in his recruitment.

Being a Baton Rouge kid, LSU is already and will likely continue to be, the heavy favorite in Bradford’s recruitment.

In fact, there has already been one prediction logged in favor of LSU. Sam Spiegelman put in a prediction for LSU back in November of 2022. The Tigers lead the RPM at 97.4%.

Bradford is the No. 5 overall prospect and No. 1 safety in the 2026 cycle, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. He is also the No. 2 player in Louisiana.

Early evaluation on Bradford

Bradford was one of the primary defenders discussed when On3 released the 2026 Top 100 Watch List.

“Baton Rouge (La.) Catholic’s Blaine Bradford looks like the safest bet among defensive backs at this early juncture. At 6-foot-1, 195 pounds, Bradford is physically advanced relative to his peers. He’s a highly physical defender with outstanding striking power and pop for a rising sophomore. Bradford also flashes very encouraging play speed with a quick trigger, all while playing strong competition.”

USC in 2026

USC will have a legitimate opportunity to make a run for the No. 1 class in the 2026 cycle. The Trojans already hold a commitment from the class’ No. 1 overall prospect in five-star quarterback Julian Lewis. Lewis has been vocal about his intention and plan to help recruit elite talent to USC in his class and others.

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Garry Paskwietz (1966-2019)

Garry Paskwietz was a pioneer in bringing team-specific sports coverage to the internet. He founded WeAreSC in 1998 and was an Emmy winner for his work with Fox Sports West. Always generous with his time, knowledge, and compassion, he touched the lives of countless USC and high school football fans.

Garry Paskwietz