USC’s receiver room is getting a fresh look, and the early depth chart says the Trojans are ready to lean on youth.
With Makai Lemon and Ja’Kobi Lane headed to the NFL, Jayden Maiava is set to throw to a very different group in 2026. On Wednesday night, USC’s first depth chart listed freshmen Kayden Dixon-Wyatt and Trent Mosley as starters, a move that drew a vote of confidence from On3 college football analyst JD Pickell.
“When there's frequency of Dixon-Wyatt, Mosley’s name keeps coming up, I’m gonna trust,” said On3 college football analyst JD Pickell. “On one hand you say there's not as much proven, but on the other you're like, there's a lot of names here, and Lincoln Riley's got three Biletnikoff winners, I think he knows what he's looking at.”
That belief starts with where both receivers came from. Dixon-Wyatt, a Mater Dei (Calif.) product, and Mosley, a Santa Margarita (Calif.) product, both made their names in the Trinity League, the Orange County conference widely viewed as the toughest in the country.
Dixon-Wyatt was Mater Dei’s top receiver for the past two seasons, including 2024, when the Monarchs finished No. 1 in every outlet and were crowned national champions. There was also a strong feeling in 7v7 circles and around Mater Dei that USC landed the best receiver from that powerhouse group, even with Ohio State five-star freshman Chris Henry Jr. in the mix.
Mosley’s resume was just as loud. He helped Santa Margarita win the Open Division state championship last season, the highest division in California, and the Eagles became the first school other than Mater Dei or St.
John Bosco to do it in a decade. He also earned MaxPreps California Player of the Year honors and was named a first team All-American.
“There’s extra insurance that there’s not going to be the same learning curve for a kid that played at a public school as there is for a kid that balled out in Trinity League and was playing against Power Four level defensive backs every week,” Pickell said.
USC’s other starting outside spots went to sophomores Corey Simms and Tanook Hines. Simms barely touched the offense last season, logging just 22 offensive snaps, with 11 of those coming in the bowl game, but he did show up on special teams in 13 games. That work, along with a strong spring and fall camp, helped him emerge in year two under wide receivers coach Dennis Simmons.
Hines was already part of the mix last season, starting with Lemon and Lane and finishing third on the team in receptions and receiving yards. He recently returned to practice after missing all of spring and the first couple weeks of fall camp, so it remains to be seen how much that time away affected the decision.
Behind Dixon-Wyatt, freshman Boobie Feaster is next on the depth chart. The 17-year-old from Texas enrolled in the summer and got up to speed quickly, and he is expected to have a real role this fall. Another freshman, Tron Baker - the first commit in USC’s No. 1 class - is listed behind Simms and Hines.
“We’ve seen freshmen receivers, with 7-on-7 and how much these kids are playing, it should be a smoother transition,” Pickell said.
One notable absence from the depth chart was junior Terrell Anderson. The NC State transfer has been dealing with injuries in fall camp, and Lincoln Riley did not say this week who will be available for the season opener against San Jose State on Saturday, Aug.
- Anderson’s absence may be telling.
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