USC commit Honor Fa’alave-Johnson has added another major brand to his NIL portfolio, signing a deal with Kia as his profile continues to rise before he ever gets to campus.
Kia announced the partnership by spotlighting Fa’alave-Johnson’s speed and calling him the fastest football player in high school history. The company’s post said: "Fast isn’t just about the clock.
It’s about preparation, discipline, and knowing how to make every move count. That’s why we’re proud to team up with Honor Fa’alave-Johnson, the fastest football player in high school history, clocked at an incredible 22.7 MPH in a game.
- Just like Honor, the Kia Telluride is built to move with confidence. Powerful, capable, and ready for whatever’s ahead, it’s designed for those who never settle for average.Congratulations on an incredible journey, Honor.
We’re excited to be part of what’s next,"
The USC pledge was shown in the ad wearing Adidas gear, which fits with the NIL arrangement he already has with the sportswear brand. Adidas included Fa’alave-Johnson and six other high school recruits in its 2026 adizero 7 Class in June.
That keeps him in step with a growing trend around USC’s recruiting haul, where top commits are landing exclusive deals with major brands. USC freshman Mark Bowman has an NIL deal with Nike, and his Trojans debut is expected in 2026. Fa’alave-Johnson, meanwhile, still has one more high school season ahead of him before he arrives.
On the field, USC sees him as a true two-way weapon. Fa’alave-Johnson recently told USC Trojans on SI’s Kendell Hollowell how the staff plans to use him once he gets to Los Angeles: “They’re gonna teach me more on defense,” Fa’alave-Johnson said.
“They're not gonna teach me the whole playbook (on offense) just because it’ll probably be too much, but they're gonna get me in the rotation. Get me at slot, get me at running back, decoy player.
Whatever it might be, I’m just trying to get some reps on offense.”
Texas has tried to make a move to flip him, but Fa’alave-Johnson has publicly reaffirmed his commitment to USC.
He remains the Trojans’ top-ranked commit at No. 12 nationally in Rivals’ latest update, with five-star EDGE Mekai Brown right behind him at No. 27.
Together, the two five-stars anchor a class ranked No. 13 in the country and No. 4 in the Big Ten, per Rivals. USC signed 35 recruits in the No. 1-ranked 2026 class, so the 2027 group is naturally smaller, but the Trojans are still adding blue-chip names like Roye Oliver and four-star defensive backs Danny Lang, Aaryn Washington, and Gavin Williams.
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Hales value for USC goes beyond his own talent, too, because he has already started working as a recruiter for the program. He has been pushing local standouts such as Malaki Davis and Hayden Koo to take a serious look at the Trojans, a sign that USC is not just landing elite California prospects but also getting them to help sell the vision to others. [Read more 🡒]
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Honor Faalave-Johnson, Quentin Hale and Jalen Flowers were especially hard to miss, each showing why USC has been so aggressive in this part of the recruiting map. The most intriguing part for the Trojans is how many of these players are not just winning one-on-one snaps, but impacting games in multiple spots on the field, which is exactly the sort of development that can turn a strong summer showing into something much bigger once the season starts. [Read more 🡒]