The first two games of USC’s 2026 season have already offered a clear look at why this freshman class carries so much buzz. In back-to-back double-digit wins at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum over San Jose State and Fresno State, several newcomers have wasted no time flashing the kind of talent that can shape a season.
At the top of the list is Trent Mosley, and he has made his presence felt immediately. The freshman wide receiver led USC in receiving in both games, stacking up 100-plus yards and multiple touchdowns in each outing.
For a player who is just getting started in cardinal and gold, that’s a loud introduction. With USC now turning to Louisiana for its final non-conference game on Saturday, Sept. 12, at the Coliseum, Mosley has a chance to keep building on that start.
Kayden Dixon-Wyatt has also looked the part of a future difference-maker. Through two games, he has 10 catches for 138 yards and a touchdown, good for 13.8 yards per reception.
His best showing came in the win over Fresno State, when he posted six receptions for 102 yards and a score. The five-star receiver from nearby Mater Dei High School was originally committed to the Buckeyes before flipping to USC in December of 2025, and he already looks like he belongs in the same conversation as Mosley when it comes to the Trojans’ next elite receiving duo.
The possibility of that kind of tandem is part of what makes this freshman group so intriguing. USC has seen one standout wideout pairing after another in recent years, and now Mosley and Dixon-Wyatt have the chance to become the next one.
On the other side of the ball, Luke Wafle has given USC an early boost as the Trojans try to build a defense that can matter under new defensive coordinator Gary Patterson. The five-star defensive end from Hun High School in Princeton, New Jersey, has shown real disruption through two games, pressuring opposing quarterbacks and recording four total tackles. With one more non-conference game left before Big Ten play, Wafle has another chance to keep stacking positive snaps.
Corey Simms has also taken a step forward after a quiet opener. He had just one catch for six yards against San Jose State, then bounced back with six receptions for 87 yards in the win over Fresno State.
The 6-3, 205-pound receiver from St. Louis, Missouri, came to USC as a three-star recruit, per 247Sports, and while his role may not grab the same headlines as Mosley’s or Dixon-Wyatt’s, he looks like a meaningful part of the offense.
In the backfield, Shahn Alston has started to show why USC sees a future piece in him. The 5-10, 220-pound running back from Harvey High School in Painesville, Ohio, is rated as a four-star recruit and the No. 171 overall player nationally, per 247Sports.
Through two games, he has logged 11 carries for 50 yards and a touchdown. With King Miller and Waymond Jordan ahead of him in the room right now, Alston still looks like a name to remember.
Two games in, USC’s freshmen are already leaving a mark. Some are doing it with big receiving numbers, others with pressure off the edge or steady work in the run game, but the common thread is the same: they’re trending up fast.
In Other News...
USC Freshmen Are Already Forcing Their Way Into Bigger Roles
USCs Week 1 showing offered an early look at how quickly this freshman class is trying to make itself part of the rotation. Quarterback Jonas Williams, running back Deshonne Redeaux, receiver Trent Mosley and several others all flashed in ways that went beyond the usual opening-game hype, giving the staff a real sample of how they handle live snaps and the speed of college football.
The larger question now is how much of that first impression turns into a bigger role as the season settles in. For a Trojans team that wants depth to matter in a long year, the encouraging part is not just that these freshmen played, but that a few of them already looked like they belonged in bigger moments. The next step is proving that Week 1 was the start of something more than a one-game boost. [Read more 🡒]
USC Is In The Mix For A Five-Star Receiver Battle
Braylon Clarks recruitment is already shaping up as one of the early national battles in the 2028 cycle, and USC has a real seat at the table. The five-star receiver from Providence Day School in Charlotte, North Carolina, trimmed his list to 12 schools, with the Trojans standing out as the only California program still in the mix. Ranked highly by Rivals, ESPN and 247Sports, Clark has the kind of profile that can shift how a future receiver room looks in a hurry.
USC is hardly alone in chasing him, though, and that is what makes this one worth watching. Miami, Ohio State, Oregon and Indiana are all among the programs still involved, turning the pursuit into a cross-country fight for one of the classs marquee pass catchers. For the Trojans, landing Clark would not just be another recruiting win, it would be a clear statement about how far their national reach still extends. [Read more 🡒]
USC's Young Playmakers Are Emerging Fast Around Jayden Maiava
USCs second game of the 2026 season offered another look at how quickly Jayden Maiava is growing into the center of the offense, but it also showed how much help he is getting from a young supporting cast. The Trojans had useful performances across the roster, with Trent Mosley, Kayden Dixon-Wyatt and Jadyn Ramos all making their presence felt on offense, while Jide Abasiri, Kennedy Urlacher and Alex Graham added meaningful snaps and production on the other side of the ball.
For a team trying to establish an identity early, the encouraging part is how many first- and second-year contributors are already shaping games in different ways. Not every young Trojan had the same kind of impact, with Boobie Feaster and Tanook Hines quieter than some of their classmates, but the bigger picture is hard to miss: USC is getting faster development around Maiava, and that kind of balance can matter long before the schedule gets serious. [Read more 🡒]