USC is still waiting on its first commitment in the 2028 class, but the Trojans have clearly put themselves in the thick of the race for one of their biggest targets: four-star defensive end Major Stokes.
The buzz around Stokes has grown enough that his fall schedule already has a marquee stop circled. Per Rivals’ Greg Biggins, USC’s Oct. 31 game against Ohio State is on his calendar, and he also plans to take gameday visits to Michigan, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Alabama and Miami. When it comes to his current top four, Biggins says USC and Michigan are the programs setting the pace, with Oklahoma and Miami next in line.
For Southern Cal, the selling point is Shaun Nua. Biggins reports that USC’s defensive ends coach is the biggest draw for Stokes, who appreciates Nua’s energy and his background coaching the position. Stokes also said he liked the campus and got a chance to meet members of the position group at a dinner.
Michigan has made its own strong impression. Biggins points to a three-day visit and Stokes’ connection with defensive line coach Lewis Powell as major reasons the Wolverines remain right there. Stokes called Powell a “father figure” and said he was the first coach to contact him.
For now, Stokes isn’t rushing anything. He plans to play out his junior year before making a decision.
USC’s push for Stokes has been active for months. The Trojans offered him on April 30, the same day UCLA and Oklahoma also entered the picture with offers.
Then on June 11, Stokes was part of an invite-only workout that included 2027 commits and recruits from the 2028 and 2029 classes. Among that crowded group, Stokes stood out.
USC Trojans On SI’s Kendell Hollowell reported that Nua had Stokes repeat drills to get another look at his technique and movement.
Since then, USC has had to wait on the next step. No unofficial visits have been recorded or posted, so the Trojans are leaning on the relationship Nua has built with the Utah prospect and the pull of that planned gameday visit.
Nua’s recent run on the recruiting trail gives USC a strong case in the trenches. In the 2026 cycle, his biggest addition was five-star edge rusher Luke Wafle, along with four-star rushers Simote Katoanga and Shaun Scott and three-stars Andrew Williams and Braeden Jones. In 2027, he landed four-star edge Mekai Brown, four-star defensive lineman Alifeleti Tuihalamaka and three-star Isaia Vandermade.
That shift matters. USC still chases elite skill talent, but the program has also started landing blue-chip linemen at a higher clip over the last two recruiting cycles. Bringing in Stokes would fit that pattern and, as the source notes, help position the Trojans for success in the Big Ten.
Stokes’ high school production backs up the hype. He began at Crimson Cliffs High in Washington, Utah, where he played edge/outside linebacker as a freshman and finished with 60 total tackles, 30 solo stops, 11 tackles for loss, three sacks, 13 quarterback hurries and a blocked punt in 14 games, per MaxPreps.
He followed that with an even bigger sophomore season: 66 total tackles, 29.5 tackles for loss, 11.5 sacks, 23 quarterback hurries and a fumble recovery in 12 games. He also logged snaps at tight end, catching six passes for 54 yards and two touchdowns. For his junior year, he’ll suit up at Orem High.
At 6-5 and 250 pounds, Stokes brings length, speed and a nasty habit of beating tackles to the spot. He plays with his hands extended, pushes blockers backward and can force quarterbacks into rushed decisions.
He also has the strength to overwhelm opponents and drive into the backfield. His swim move and bullrush stand out, though he’ll need more answers in his arsenal as he climbs the ladder.
What USC is chasing is pretty clear: a high-motor defender who plays with urgency and edge. Stokes fits that mold, and then some.
He’ll enter the 2026-2027 season with major national recognition, including a five-star rating from On3/Rivals and four stars from 247Sports and ESPN. He is ranked No. 117 nationally by On3/Rivals and No. 32 by 247Sports, sits at No. 11 and No. 8 at his position, and is a top-three player in Utah.
In Other News...
Madden Riordan Is Giving USC A New Reason For Safety Optimism
Madden Riordan arrived at USC with the kind of profile that tends to make coaches lean in, and he has only strengthened that buzz since getting on campus. The freshman safety has added weight and muscle since enrolling, and his play throughout spring and fall camps has matched the physical progress. Inside a secondary that always needs answers, Riordan has stood out for the kind of football IQ and instincts that can help a young defender find his footing quickly.
USC does not need him to be an immediate starter for him to matter, which is part of what makes his ascent worth watching. Riordan is already earning trust from coaches and teammates, and that sort of early credibility can matter as much as raw talent in a safety room. The Trojans are still sorting out the shape of the group, but Riordan has given the staff a new reason to feel better about the position going into the season. [Read more 🡒]
USC's Running Back Room Could Be A Real Big Ten Strength
USCs backfield enters the Big Ten era with a kind of depth that has become easy to overlook when the conversation starts with the Trojans passing game. King Miller and Waymond Jordan both showed they can bring real production to the offense last season, and they are part of a running back room that looks more varied than top-heavy. Riley Wormley, Deshonne Redeaux, Shahn Alston and Kayne Miller give the Trojans a mix of backgrounds and skill sets that should help keep the group from feeling one-dimensional.
The bigger question is how much of that promise turns into a true weekly edge once the schedule stiffens in conference play. Depth only matters if it shows up when bodies start wearing down and game plans get more demanding, and USC appears to have enough options to make opponents prepare for different styles on the same night. If that versatility translates the way the staff hopes, this could be one of the quieter reasons the Trojans are better equipped for the Big Ten grind than many expect. [Read more 🡒]
Leon McQuay III Still Owns One Of USCs Most Memorable Moments
Leon McQuay IIIs USC legacy still starts with one of the most recognizable plays of the programs recent run. The safety, who played for the Trojans from 2013 to 2016 and became a full-time starter as a senior, carved out a place in school memory with a key interception in the 2017 Rose Bowl that helped USC finish off a victory.
McQuays college career never had the loudest statistical footprint, but his timing on that stage made the moment stick. He went on to be selected by the Kansas City Chiefs in the sixth round of the 2017 NFL Draft and appeared in one regular-season game, but for Trojans fans, the defining image remains the one he created in Pasadena. [Read more 🡒]