USC’s tight end room looks different this fall, and Tucker Ashcraft knows exactly why he wanted in.
With Walker Lyons gone to BYU and Lake McRee off to the NFL, the Trojans added two fresh faces at the position: five-star Mater Dei commit Mark Bowman and Ashcraft, the former Wisconsin tight end who arrived through the transfer portal after three seasons with the Badgers.
Ashcraft comes to Los Angeles with a modest college stat line - 22 catches for 178 yards and two touchdowns - but plenty of intrigue. A former three-star recruit out of O’Dea High School in Seattle, he was ranked the No. 44 overall tight end in the 2023 recruiting class by 247Sports. At 6-foot-5 and 260 pounds, he has the frame USC wants in a room that is being rebuilt on the fly.
He committed to USC on Jan. 14, and at USC Trojans Media Day on Monday, Ashcraft laid out what pulled him to the program.
“Why not USC. There’s so much to love about this place: education, the history, coach Riley, the offense.
I could go on and on. It was a pretty easy choice," Ashcraft said.
That offense is the big draw, and it’s not hard to see the appeal. Entering their fifth season under Lincoln Riley, the Trojans again look built to put up big numbers. They’re also chasing something bigger: a first College Football Playoff berth in program history.
USC brings back plenty of firepower to help push that goal. Jayden Maiava is back after leading the Big Ten in passing in his first season as the starter, finishing with 3,711 yards, 24 touchdowns, 10 interceptions and the second-best QBR in the league at 89.9.
The backfield has its own punch, too. King Miller, the former walk-on, is coming off a breakout freshman season, while Waymond Jordan returns after a season-ending ankle injury in USC’s 31-13 home win over Michigan last year.
At receiver, the Trojans are turning over some familiar names. Makai Lemon and Ja’Kobi Lane are gone to the NFL, and Tanook Hines and NC State transfer Terrell Anderson now headline a reshaped group. USC’s No. 1-ranked 2026 recruiting class also brings in a wave of talent, including Kayden Dixon-Wyatt, Ethan “Bobbie” Fester, Trent Mosley, and Luc Weaver.
For Ashcraft, the challenge now is carving out a role in a room that also includes Bowman, whose ceiling has already made him one of the more talked-about newcomers on the roster. The question for USC is straightforward: which tight end clicks best with Maiava?
Ashcraft is focused on making sure his game gives him a real shot. He pointed to the areas he wants to sharpen before the Trojans open against San Jose State on Aug. 29 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
"I'd say my pass-catching ability, route running, getting open, and creating separation. I think I excel as a blocker, and I know I'm confident in that part of my game.
I think coach Riley and coach Savage have really helped me and pushed me to help improve my pass-catching game. If that's just fundamentals or schemes, they've really helped a lot," Ashcraft said.
USC brought him in to be more than depth, and with the offense set to lean on a lot of new and returning pieces, Ashcraft has a chance to become part of the conversation quickly.
In Other News...
Lincoln Riley Just Offered USC Fans Their First Real 2026 Clue
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Lincoln Riley also gave Trojans fans a long-view glimpse they can file away for later, even as the present still feels very much under construction. The day covered the usual camp checkpoints, but the bigger takeaway was that USC is entering the season with a lot still to be answered, from how the roster fits together to which jobs are going to settle in the weeks ahead. [Read more 🡒]
Lincoln Riley Just Framed USCs Toughest Roster Decision Yet
Lincoln Riley spent part of his latest media availability dealing with a roster problem that is becoming the new normal across college football, and it is one USC now has to manage carefully. The Trojans are over the 105-player limit established after the House v. NCAA settlement, which means the staff is navigating not just depth chart decisions but the broader challenge of fitting an expanded roster model into a tighter framework.
Riley also pointed to the new NCAA five-for-five redshirt rule as a useful tool for handling that squeeze, since it gives programs more flexibility in keeping players engaged while protecting eligibility. On the field, he singled out running backs Waymond Jordan and King Miller as a duo with real upside, a reminder that even amid the paperwork and roster math, USC is still trying to sort out which players can give the offense its clearest edge. [Read more 🡒]
King Miller Gives USC A Run Game Fans Can Believe In
King Miller went from former walk-on to one of the more reliable pieces in USCs offense last season, and the Trojans are now banking on his growth becoming a bigger part of what they do on the ground. Thrust into the lineup because of injuries, Miller answered with 972 yards and eight touchdowns in 2025, then earned a scholarship and spent the offseason adding 15 pounds to help him hold up to a bigger load.
The challenge now is turning one breakout year into something more sustainable, especially with Waymond Jordan back healthy and ready to share the backfield. USC should have a real foundation up front, too, with all five starters back on an experienced offensive line, which gives the Trojans a chance to run the ball with more consistency than they have in a while. [Read more 🡒]