USC is heading into 2026 with a tight end room that looks nothing like the one Lincoln Riley inherited. That’s the biggest shift here, and it’s the reason the Trojans are suddenly talking about depth, versatility and real options at a spot that barely showed up during Riley’s first three seasons.
The turnaround started when Riley hired former Colorado State coach Chad Savage in January of 2025, and the impact showed up right away. Lake McRee put together a career year in his fifth season, Walker Lyons emerged in his second season, and Jayden Maiava found them both as USC leaned on two-tight-end sets more than at any other point in Riley’s tenure.
McRee and Lyons are gone now, but the room has been rebuilt with more talent and more size. Savage believes the group has the pieces to be dangerous, but he’s not interested in talk without the work.
“It’s exciting but it’s an opportunity for us to show what we’re capable of doing,” Savage said. “But obviously potential only means so much. You got to show up and compete and do your job and we want guys that are tough.
"They roll up their sleeves, go to work every single day and guys that play with that gritty mindset. If they can play like that, be physical blockers with a certain mindset and attitude and also help us in the pass game, we’re going to be okay.”
The headliner is freshman Mark Bowman, and USC likely doesn’t land him without Savage’s recruiting push. Bowman was one of the most sought-after prospects in the country, a five-star from Mater Dei in Orange County who drew comparisons to Brock Bowers during the recruiting process. Savage calls him the most talented tight end Riley has had since Mark Andrews at Oklahoma almost a decade ago, and Bowman is positioned to start right away.
“He’s consistent with his approach. He wants to get better,” Savage said.
USC also added Tucker Ashcraft from Wisconsin, bringing in a tight end with multiple years of Big Ten experience. At 6-foot-5 and 260 pounds, Ashcraft brings a bruising style and said exactly what kind of player he wants to be.
“I just want to be a dominant tight end,” Ashcraft said. “I want to go hit people right in the face and catch the ball.”
Ashcraft arrived in January and quickly established himself as more than just another transfer.
“I think for him to just jump in as a transfer with his level of comfort to show that he is a leader, just shows what kind of person he is,” Savage said. “He’s got the leadership capabilities.
He’s showing that every single day, not just amongst the team but also our position group. Fortunate that he’s on our roster.
He’s a great person, he has the physical attributes that you want in a tight end.”
Behind Bowman and Ashcraft, USC has more pieces waiting for their turn. Josiah Jefferson arrived as the No.
1 JUCO tight end in the 2026 class, though he’s still early in his football development after playing just one year in high school. Nela Tupou kept climbing during his true freshman season in 2025, moving up to No. 3 by the regular season finale against UCLA and then playing the most snaps at the position in the Alamo Bowl.
He enters this season in that same No. 3 role behind Bowman and Ashcraft.
“It's very beneficial being blessed with those reps,” Tupou said. “I just feel like it really did help for this year because I got to know the offense more. Got to work with the coaches more and spend more time with the people who are going to help me elevate to the next level.“
There’s also experience in the room with Carson Tabaracci, now in his fifth season. He missed all of 2024 because of an injury, then played in 10 games last season and has turned in a strong fall camp. Walter Matthews, entering his third season, gives USC a rare body type at 6-foot-6 and 305 pounds, and he added 20 pounds this offseason.
“Everything we do, we look at very closely,” Savage said. “Whether it’s our nutrition staff, with our strength staff, they look at all of that stuff very closely.
He’s got the body type where he can just continue to eat. It’s not like it’s bad weight, he still moves very well.
He’s got the strength behind him.”
USC didn’t have much to show at tight end early in Riley’s run. Now the Trojans have a room built with size, experience and upside, and 2026 arrives with more talent at the position than they’ve had under him.
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