The USC Trojans may have lost two of the top receivers in college football, but the room still looks loaded heading into the 2026 season.
That’s the big takeaway from the group around Lincoln Riley’s offense: there’s no shortage of bodies, and even more importantly, there’s no shortage of playmakers. Riley’s system needs explosive receivers to really hum, and USC appears to have plenty of them - with most of the talent coming from the younger end of the roster.
Tanook Hines is the name at the front of the line. The sophomore enters the season as USC’s lead receiver and the player generating the most buzz.
He has been dealing with lingering injuries in fall camp, but he should be ready for the Trojans’ first game. Losing Makai Lemon and Ja'Kobi Lane is a real blow, especially after both were so important to Jayden Maiava’s first season.
But Hines was the next-best option a year ago, finishing with 398 receiving yards and 2 touchdowns.
He also flashed what he can do when the offense runs through him. In the bowl game against TCU, Hines caught 6 passes for 163 yards. That performance only reinforced the idea that he already has the kind of trust and timing with Maiava that can make him USC’s top target this season.
Right behind him should be Terrell Anderson, who brings a different kind of value to the room. The junior transfer offers size, experience and polish from his time at NC State, where he put up 637 receiving yards and 5 touchdowns in 12 games last season.
He gives this young group a veteran presence and adds another receiver who can threaten defenses vertically. In a room full of youth, Anderson looks like the stabilizing force.
Zacharyus Williams is another player with breakout potential. The sophomore has already shown flashes when called upon, both as a freshman and during his short stint at Utah.
He profiles as a slot receiver with speed and big-play ability, and he’s been making plays in offseason work and fall camp. That’s enough to give the staff confidence that he’s ready for a bigger role.
Then there’s the freshman wave, which is where this room gets especially interesting.
Boobie Feaster arrives as a true freshman with obvious big-play juice. USC has been excited about him in fall camp, and it’s easy to see why.
He is exactly the kind of receiver Lincoln Riley wants in this offense: someone who can turn a touch into a chunk gain in a hurry. Feaster won’t be asked to carry the room immediately with Hines and Anderson ahead of him, but the ceiling is there.
In his final high school season as a junior in 2025, he had 69 catches for 1,264 yards and 15 touchdowns, averaging 18.3 yards per catch. That kind of production fits the eye test, and the recent fall camp footage released by the USC Trojans football official account suggests he’ll be part of the action early.
Kayden Dixon-Wyatt is another true freshman worth watching. The four-star recruit has the size and skill set to work outside, and his ball skills give USC hope that he can help fill some of the void left by Ja'Kobi Lane.
Lane’s catch radius and ability to make difficult grabs were major assets, and Dixon-Wyatt has the tools to become that kind of target if his development keeps moving in the right direction. He can make the acrobatic catches and is tough to bring down once the ball is in his hands.
For receiver coach Dennis Simmons, that means two very promising young weapons to shape.
Trent Mosley adds even more intrigue. He is projected to have an impact right away and brings versatility that should give Riley plenty to work with.
Mosley can create offense, and he’s also a return-game threat. His speed gives him the chance to score quickly, even without a heavy workload.
He’s been one of the more talked-about players in camp, and it sounds like USC is already looking for ways to get him involved.
Corey Sims rounds out the group as another freshman who could force his way into the offense. He didn’t make much of a mark on offense last season, but he played special teams in all 13 games, which says plenty about the trust the staff has in him.
At 6-foot-3 and 205 pounds, he has the kind of frame that eventually earns more chances. His athleticism and size make him a real candidate to carve out a role this year, and with so much competition in the room, that alone is a sign of how deep USC is at receiver.
The Trojans have plenty of options here, and that depth could end up mattering a lot. From established production to freshmen with real juice, USC’s receiver room looks built to keep Lincoln Riley stocked with the explosive talent his offense demands.
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