USC’s updated depth chart brought a few notable changes before the Trojans take on Fresno State, and the biggest ones are on the defensive front and in the receiver room.
The most eye-catching additions are defensive linemen Jahkeem Stewart and Braylan Shelby. Stewart has been out with a foot injury, while Shelby is dealing with an undisclosed injury, but both are now back on the two-deep. Stewart is listed with true freshman defensive lineman Tomuhini Topui Jr. behind Jide Abasiri at one defensive tackle spot, while Shelby is paired with defensive end Jadyn Ramos behind starter Kameryn Crawford.
That setup shows just how much depth USC has up front. One defensive tackle position now has three players on the depth chart, with Stewart and Topui behind Abasiri, and one defensive end spot has two backups listed in Shelby and Ramos behind Crawford.
Whether either player actually gets into the rotation against Fresno State is still an open question. Lincoln Riley and USC were cautious in week 1, and it remains to be seen if the Trojans will keep Stewart and Shelby on the shelf for another game while still handling business.
The freshmen who made noise in USC’s win over San José State are still a big part of the story, though one of the group has taken a small hit on the depth chart. Freshman receiver Tron Baker is no longer listed as an “OR” with Corey Simms and Tanook Hines.
Hines is expected to be USC’s top receiver after Makai Lemon and Ja’Kobi Lane left for the NFL, but an offseason injury has slowed him early. USC may simply be being careful with him, just as it has been with Stewart, but the longer he sits, the more attention it draws.
He was listed as a starter before the San José State game, yet he did not dress. The question now is simple: Will Hines make his 2026 season debut against Fresno State?
Transfer receiver Terrell Anderson is still missing from the depth chart, while freshmen Trent Mosley and Kayden Dixon-Wyatt remain listed as starters.
There was also a small but meaningful tweak in the secondary. Safety Madden Riordan, who had already turned heads by cracking the two-deep before the regular season, now has a little more competition behind Christian Pierce. Instead of holding that backup safety spot alone, Riordan is listed with Kendarius Reddick in an “OR” situation.
For USC, that kind of depth only helps. And on the defensive side, Reddick’s rise may be one of the more unexpected developments on the roster.
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USC is getting a useful measuring stick early, and it comes in the form of a Fresno State defense that was the best unit in the Mountain West a year ago. The Bulldogs held opponents to just 286 yards and 19 points per game, and the strength starts up front under defensive coordinator Nick Benedetto, who brought his system over from Northern Illinois and has plenty of experience to lean on in the trenches.
The matchup should tell plenty about where the Trojans are on the line of scrimmage, especially against a front that has made life hard on the run game. Fresno State went 9-0 last season when it kept opponents under 140 rushing yards, and linebacker Tytus Khajavi is expected to be one of the key players helping set the tone. Against a USC offense that wants to establish itself early, that kind of resistance can reveal a lot quickly. [Read more 🡒]
USC Fans May Not Love This Name In The Next Coaching Cycle
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USC Already Has One Clear Strength And One Growing Concern
USCs season opener against San Jose State offered an early look at what this roster might already do well, and which parts still need work. Jayden Maiava handled his first game of the year with plenty of positives, while defensive tackle Jide Abasiri also stood out in a performance that gave the Trojans something to build on. There were encouraging contributions, too, from wide receiver Trent Mosley and running back King Miller, suggesting the offense has multiple pieces ready to matter right away.
The concern showed up on the other side of the ball, where the secondary and some individual defenders had a rougher time keeping things clean. Kam Crawford was among the players who struggled, and that mattered because USCs defense is still trying to sort out its identity as the schedule moves forward. One game does not settle the bigger picture, but it did give the Trojans a pretty clear snapshot of where the strength is and where the questions are likely to linger. [Read more 🡒]