USC’s backfield picture is already changing, and the next wave of recruiting may tell you exactly where the Trojans think the position is headed.
Last season, the run game finally started to show some life. Former walk-on King Miller emerged as the surprise name in the room, while Waymond Jordan handled part of the load and averaged 6.5 yards a carry. USC is also bringing in four-stars Shahn Alston and Deshonne Redeaux as 2026 signings, giving the position a much different look than it had not long ago.
Even so, the clearest answer for USC may not come from the 2027 cycle. The Trojans appear more likely to attack the 2028 class when it comes time to reload at running back. Right now, three-star Javon Vital of Hamilton Christian Academy in Lake Charles, Louisiana is the only backfield commit in that group.
That setup leaves some room for debate. Jordan is heading into his senior season and will be gone soon after.
USC could also lose players through the transfer portal. At the same time, redshirt junior Cian McKelvey and redshirt freshman Riley Wormley are both eligible to play through 2027, and Miller could still have two seasons left before turning to the NFL Draft.
Miller is a 2023 graduate and is eligible for the 2026 draft if he decides to enter.
By the time fall 2028 rolls around, USC would be looking at Redeaux and Alston as the main pieces already in place. That helps explain why the Trojans have already offered eight running backs in the 2028 cycle, according to 247Sports.
The biggest name on that list is four-star Micah Rhodes of Klein Oak High School in Spring, Texas. Rhodes has a .09531 composite score per 247Sports and 34 offers, with Oklahoma, Alabama, LSU and Oregon also in the mix. That race figures to heat up once the prep season gets going.
Another major target is four-star Dalen Powell of Ruston, Louisiana. USC has had success recruiting Louisiana before, but this battle comes with a twist now that Ed Orgeron and new LSU head coach Lane Kiffin are working to keep in-state talent home.
The Trojans are also tracking Caiden Bellard of Lafayette Christian Academy, another Louisiana back with a growing profile. Bellard put up 1,532 yards and 21 touchdowns last season, a production line that pushed him onto the national radar.
California remains part of the plan, too. USC has already offered several 2028 backs in the state and is expected to stay involved with them as the fall approaches.
Malaki Davis of Centennial in Corona is one of the names to know. The 6-1 back fits the kind of physical, punishing style USC has long liked in the backfield, the same mold associated with LenDale White and current star Miller.
Jaion Smith of Rancho Santa Margarita Catholic is another California target. He is unranked by 247Sports but is a three-star in Rivals Industry rankings. At 6-0, he brings burst and a strong second gear, and USC’s staff is expected to lean on the connection through Trojans legend Carson Palmer, Smith’s head coach.
Up north, Clovis High’s James Curoso picked up a USC offer after impressing at a June camp. USC is already in a recruiting battle there with Fresno State head coach Matt Entz, the former Trojans linebackers coach, for Central Valley talent. Curoso told Lorenzo Reyna of USC Trojans on SI that he already loves USC’s NFL running back pipeline.
Four-star Noel Washington of Notre Dame High in Sherman Oaks is also climbing. He has eight offers, with UCLA among his early opportunities, and USC could stop by his school this fall. That school is also the alma mater of 2026 wide receiver signing Luc Weaver.
Then there’s Tristan Savage of Ventura High, an unranked prospect who nearly helped lead a state title run for the Cougars. USC had already gone after his 2026 edge rusher teammate Tristan Phillips before Phillips chose Oregon. Savage has earned praise around California’s 805 region for his versatility after running for 1,228 yards and 25 touchdowns, including 19 on the ground.
For now, the message is pretty clear: USC expects to spend more time on 2028 running backs once the high school season gets rolling.
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