USC enters fall camp with a roster that looks strong in some spots and unsettled in others, and the clearest edge for Lincoln Riley’s team may be up front. The Trojans return all five starting offensive linemen in 2026 - left tackle Elijah Paige, left guard Tobias Raymond, center Kilian O'Connor, right guard Alani Noa, and right tackle Justin Tauanuu - a rare luxury for any program.
That group has already shown it can handle adversity. Injuries to Paige and O'Connor during the 2025 season forced USC to shuffle and adapt, and Raymond could line up anywhere along the line next season.
The depth picture is still taking shape, but younger players like Elijah Vaikona, Aaron Dunn, and Kaylon Miller are in the mix, while freshmen Keenyi Pepe and Breck Kolojay join the room. The big question hanging over the unit is simple: can it compete for the Joe Moore Award as the best offensive line in the country?
Quarterback Jayden Maiava gives USC a chance to be dangerous no matter how the rest of the roster settles. He’s viewed as one of the top quarterbacks in the country, and his second year in Riley’s system is a major reason expectations are so high.
Riley has a history of producing Heisman Trophy finalists at the position, and Maiava has a shot to be next. In 2025, he led the Big Ten with 3,711 passing yards, threw 24 touchdowns and 10 interceptions, and averaged a league-high 14.0 yards per completion.
Behind him are redshirt senior Sam Huard and former freshman Jonas Williams, a former four-star recruit in the class of 2026.
The backfield also gives USC real punch. Waymond Jordan and King Miller form one of the best running back duos in the country.
Jordan led the Trojans with 6.5 yards per carry and finished with 576 rushing yards and 5 touchdowns, while Miller took off after Jordan was sidelined for the second half of the season in 2025. Miller ended the year with 972 rushing yards, 8 touchdowns, and a 6.2-yard average.
Riley Wormley is expected to contribute as he returns from injury, and freshmen Deshonne Redeaux and Shahn Alston could also get involved.
At tight end, USC has talent but plenty to sort out. Former five-star recruit Mark Bowman is the most intriguing name in the group even as a freshman, and he could make an early, if not immediate, impact on the offense.
The Trojans also added former Wisconsin tight end Tucker Ashcraft through the transfer portal, and former JUCO tight end Josiah Jefferson should be in the competition for snaps. Riley could use production from that spot in 2026, but how much he gets remains an open question.
Wide receiver looks different from a year ago, and not necessarily in a bad way, but there are still questions behind Tanook Hines. Hines was USC’s third option behind Makai Lemon and Ja'Kobi Lane in 2025 and finished with 561 receiving yards and 2 touchdowns as his role expanded over the season.
NC State transfer Terrell Anderson is still something of a mystery, and the Trojans may lean on true freshmen Trent Mosley, Ethan "Boobie" Feaster, and Kayden Dixon-Wyatt. Tron Baker and Roderick Tezeno are also names to keep in mind.
On defense, the line looks like one of the Trojans’ best bets to set the tone. Gary Patterson’s unit returns former freshman standout Jahkeem Stewart, whose ceiling feels nearly unlimited after he played through a foot injury during his breakout 2025 season.
The interior also has experience with Jide Abasiri and Alex VanSumeren, while Braylan Shelby and Kameryn Crawford should be featured on the edge. Crawford led USC with 5.5 sacks last season, Shelby had 4.5, and Abasiri finished with 3.5.
VanSumeren comes over as a former Michigan State transfer after posting 52 combined tackles with the Spartans in 2025.
The young talent there might be the most exciting of any position group on the roster. Former five-star Luke Wafle could step in right away, and freshmen Jaimeon Winfield, Tomuhini Topui, and Simote Katoanga all give USC more long-term upside.
Linebacker is a little harder to pin down, though the top of the room looks solid. USC brought in former Washington linebacker Deven Bryant, who should line up next to Desman Stephens II.
Stephens started all 13 games in 2025 as a sophomore and made 89 tackles, while Bryant closed his season at Washington with 62 total tackles. Depth is a concern, but redshirt sophomores Ta'Mere Robinson and Elijah Newby are expected to be part of the plan, with freshmen Talanoa Ili and Shaun Scott developing behind them.
Safety is another spot with real uncertainty after the Trojans lost starters Kamari Ramsey and Bishop Fitzgerald to the NFL. Senior Christian Pierce brings the most experience, and former Notre Dame transfer Kennedy Urlacher is entering his second season at USC after starting three games as a sophomore in 2025.
Both players filled in when Ramsey and Fitzgerald were hurt, so they already have some game reps to lean on. Even so, the depth chart could get thin unless freshmen Madden Riordan and Peyton Dyer are ready to play meaningful snaps.
Cornerback gives USC more options. The exact rotation is still unsettled, but the Trojans have a deep group to sort through.
Transfers Carrington Pierce and Jontez Williams are expected to make an impact, while returners Marcelles Williams and Alex Graham add more experience. Former UCF cornerback Chasen Johnson is also a key name after his first season with USC was cut short by injury, and younger prospects Elbert Hill and RJ Sermons bring high-end upside.
In Other News...
USC Fans Wont Like Where This SoCal Recruiting Battle Is Heading
The early read on Isaiah Danns is not exactly what USC fans want to hear. The Santa Ana cornerback in the 2029 class is reportedly leaning toward Oregon, even as he holds offers from North Carolina and California and continues to draw interest from USC and UCLA. There is still a long way to go with a prospect this young, but the Ducks have clearly put themselves in position early, and that matters in a Southern California recruiting fight.
Danns ties to Mater Dei only sharpen the stakes for USC, which has long treated that school as a key recruiting battleground. Oregon has recently made real inroads there, landing players such as Lex Mailangi, Nasir Wyatt and Jordon Davison, and it is trying to keep that pipeline flowing. Danns recent visit to Oregons camp a few weeks ago apparently left an impression, and for now the Ducks have the momentum in a race the Trojans would prefer to flip before it gets any further along. [Read more 🡒]
Oregon Faces Growing Pressure In Critical USC Recruiting Battle
Isaiah Danns has already become a name to watch in USCs recruiting orbit, and the Trojans have a familiar advantage working in their favor. The Anaheim cornerback has offers from California, North Carolina, USC, UCLA and Oregon, and his profile fits the kind of Southern California talent USC has continued to target as Lincoln Riley tries to lift the programs national standing.
The Trojans also have the benefit of a steady pipeline from Mater Dei, a school that has sent multiple recent players to USC and already has another 2027 commitment in the fold. Danns has not visited USC yet, but he plans to make the trip and take in a game this fall, a visit that could give the Trojans a better chance to close the gap in a recruitment that still has plenty of runway left. [Read more 🡒]
USC Legends Are Surrounding This Program And Recruits Can Feel It
For USC, the past has been showing up in a very visible way. Marcus Allen, Willie McGinest, Mike Williams, Ronnie Lott and other former Trojans have been around the program at games, on official visits and at team events, giving current players and recruits a chance to see what the standard still looks like. It is the kind of presence that matters in recruiting as much as it does in the locker room, especially when the message comes from names that still carry real weight in Los Angeles.
The benefit goes beyond a photo op or a quick handshake. Recruits have been able to spend time with alumni who know exactly what it means to wear the jersey, and current players have had their own chances to lean on that network during offseason work and spring practice. Caleb Williams has also been around the program this offseason, adding another familiar face to a group that already feels unusually connected, and for prospects trying to picture life at USC, that kind of access can leave a lasting impression. [Read more 🡒]