USC enters 2026 with experience, talent, and a couple of names that already have national respect behind them.
Quarterback Jayden Maiava and cornerback Jontez Williams both landed inside PFF College’s 50, a sign that the Trojans have impact players on both sides of the ball. Maiava came in at No. 30, while Williams checked in at No. 45.
Maiava is the headliner. After a strong 2025 season, he showed he can handle the Big Ten stage and gave USC a clear answer at quarterback.
He finished with a 91.2 QBR, which made him the most efficient quarterback in the country by that metric. His passing numbers were just as loud: 3,711 yards, 24 touchdowns, 10 interceptions, and a 65.8 percent completion rate.
That 3,711-yard total ranked fifth in the nation.
He also brought more than just arm talent. Maiava added 157 rushing yards and six scores on the ground, and at 6-4, 230 pounds, he has the kind of build that can be a problem for defenders when the field shrinks near the goal line.
There are still two clear places where he can sharpen his game in 2026. First, the turnovers.
Seven of his 10 interceptions came in USC’s four losses, a swing that cost the Trojans possessions and gave opponents extra chances to score. Second, there’s more juice to tap into with his legs.
Using that part of his game more could force defenses into different looks, create space for the passing game, and set up more explosive plays downfield.
If those two areas improve, Maiava could be the engine behind a big year for USC and possibly the piece that helps push the Trojans toward the College Football Playoff.
Williams brings a different kind of value. The cornerback spent his first three college seasons at Iowa State, where he built a reputation as a steady playmaker.
He finished his Cyclones career with five interceptions and 11 pass deflections, and his coverage numbers were even more eye-opening. Since 2023, he has allowed a passer rating of 25.6, the lowest among FBS cornerbacks with at least 300 coverage snaps, according to PFF.
Health is the big question. Williams tore his ACL and was limited to five games in 2025.
Still, his 2024 film was enough to show why he was considered one of the top cornerback options in the transfer portal. If he gets back to that level, USC may have its top corner and a player capable of becoming one of the better defensive backs in the Big Ten.
In Other News...
USC Faces Another Massive Receiver Battle Fans Know Too Well
USC is back in the familiar fight for a top receiver, this time chasing four-star Dennis Tuaone, a prospect whose recruitment has quickly become a two-school conversation with Miami. The Trojans have stayed active with him, and Tuaone has already visited both programs while weighing the kind of factors that usually decide these battles: coaching relationships, program history and where he can picture himself fitting long term.
For USC, the stakes feel even more familiar because Miami has a way of making these head-to-head receiver pursuits messy, especially when the player has hometown ties and strong connections on the other side. The Trojans have had success in similar recruiting duels before, but this one still has plenty of runway left, and the next move could come down to which staff keeps building the better case as Tuaone sorts through the pull of home and the appeal of leaving it. [Read more 🡒]
USC Has A New Penn State Threat To Worry About
Penn States passing game is trying to rebuild on the fly, and one of the names emerging in that conversation is Amarion Jackson. The former safety was moved to receiver because of injuries, then followed coach Campbell from Iowa State to Penn State after flipping his pledge, giving the Nittany Lions a new piece to work with as they sort through a receiver room that lost its top five targets from last season.
For USC, the matchup angle is obvious enough: a team with limited returning receiving production is looking for someone to step into a bigger role, and Jackson has already put himself in position to be part of that answer. He impressed during spring practices, and with Penn State needing help at the position, his development is worth watching long before the Trojans ever see him on the field. [Read more 🡒]