USC has spent heavily to reshape its defensive line, and the Trojans are banking on that investment finally giving them the kind of front that can change games in the Big Ten.
That kind of makeover starts where the game is won and lost: at the line of scrimmage. If the group up front can hold up against the run and create pressure in the pass game, it can lift everything behind it. The big question is whether USC’s recruiting push has produced the kind of defensive line that can actually deliver on that promise.
The Trojans have had to look beyond California to build it. The state has defensive line talent, but not a deep pool of elite high school prospects at those spots, so USC has gone national to stock the room.
That approach began in the 2024 class with Kameryn Crawford, a top 100 overall prospect from Georgia. He started the final four games of his freshman year, then worked as a part-time starter in 2025 and led the team in sacks. The expectation now is that Crawford keeps climbing in year three and turns into a double-digit sack player.
Jide Abasiri is another piece the Trojans are counting on. The junior became a full-time starter last season, and his size and experience should give him a chance to take another step forward this fall.
USC also landed a major prize when Jahkeem Stewart reclassified just two months before the early signing period. Stewart, who had originally been the No. 1 overall recruit in the 2026 cycle, became a fast-moving target for programs across the country. The Trojans won out late, and the 6-6, 295-pound New Orleans native wasted no time proving the hype was real, earning Freshman All-American honors.
Another name from that 2025 class is Floyd Boucard, a sophomore defensive tackle who may be the most overlooked player in the group. Boucard made an impression quickly in spring ball and fall camp, then settled in as an important rotational piece as a freshman. Redshirt freshman defensive end Jadyn Ramos is also worth watching because of his ability to rush the passer.
Then came the 2026 class, and USC raised the bar again. The Trojans pulled in five-star freshman defensive end Luke Wafle, a New Jersey native and the No. 1 overall recruit in the most recent cycle.
At 6-6 and 265 pounds, Wafle will challenge senior Braylan Shelby for a starting job. USC also added five-star freshman defensive tackle Jaimeon Winfield out of Texas, giving the line four top 100 prospects across three recruiting cycles.
The depth keeps going. Four-star freshman defensive tackle Tomuhini Topui and defensive end Simote Katoanga both come from California, while four-star defensive end Braeden Jones adds another layer to the rotation.
USC didn’t stop at the high school level, either. Defensive tackle Alex VanSumeren arrived with the kind of veteran edge and toughness that comes from starting the past two seasons at Michigan State.
Penn State transfer Zurich Fisher, a seventh-year senior, gives the Trojans another edge rusher. Jamaal Jarrett, who transferred from Georgia last season, is back after an injury limited him to five games a year ago.
On paper, the mix is hard to ignore: size, experience and depth all stacked together. The Trojans appear to have the pieces to become a dominant unit.
The first real test comes quickly, with Dante Moore leading a high-powered Oregon offense in week 5 at the Coliseum. And that matchup is only the start of a demanding schedule filled with several dynamic offenses USC will face in 2026.
If the Trojans can finally control games with their play up front, it would mark a major shift. They have not had that kind of presence in any of Lincoln Riley’s four seasons.
In Other News...
Lincoln Riley Just Sent A Major Message About Jayden Maiava
At Big Ten media days, Lincoln Riley made it clear that Jayden Maiava has earned plenty of trust heading into the new season. The USC coach praised the quarterbacks growth since taking over last year, pointing to the kind of steady improvement that can matter just as much as raw talent when a program is trying to settle in at the position.
Maiava was USCs starter last season and helped guide an offense that functioned effectively, which gives Rileys confidence some real backing. The bigger takeaway for the Trojans is that the quarterback conversation already feels far more settled than it did a year ago, with Maiava positioned to open 2026 carrying the full support of the staff behind him. [Read more 🡒]
USC Freshmen Are Already Making Fall Camp Defense Decisions Tougher
USCs young defensive class has already turned spring work into a real fall-camp subplot, with several freshmen making enough of an impression to force the staff to think beyond simple redshirt plans. The group includes linebacker Talanoa Ili, cornerback Elbert Hill, safety Madden Riordan and defensive lineman Tomuhini Topui, all of whom have shown traits that fit what the Trojans want on that side of the ball.
Ili has drawn attention as a linebacker prospect with rare upside, Hill has looked unusually polished in coverage since arriving in January, Riordan has flashed the kind of ball skills that created turnovers in high school, and Topui brings the size and burst that can translate to early snaps up front. None of that guarantees a clean path to playing time, but it does mean USCs coaches are heading into camp with more options than they probably expected, and a few more decisions to make once the pads come on. [Read more 🡒]
USCs New Roster Just Raised Bigger Questions About This Team
USC is only into fall camp, but the first updated roster already tells a story about how much the program has changed since spring. The Trojans have been busy reshaping the board in the offseason, adding 24 players overall, mostly walk-ons, while also bringing in a handful of more notable newcomers through signings and transfers. For a team opening against San Jose State, those kinds of roster updates are more than housekeeping. They are a snapshot of where the staff thinks it has depth, where it needs help, and which bodies are expected to carry more of the load this fall.
The physical changes are just as revealing. Some players have clearly been asked to carry different roles, from offensive linemen and tight ends to defensive linemen and corners, and the new measurements suggest USC is still sorting out how this roster wants to look in August. The most interesting part is not just who arrived, but how many players seem to have changed in ways that could affect the two-deep before the opener even gets here. [Read more 🡒]