USC leads 2026 football recruiting with 15 commitments

The University of Southern California (USC) has started strong in its 2026 college football recruiting class. The Trojans currently have the top-ranked class in the nation, largely due to 15 commitments from talented players. They recently added defensive lineman Jaimeon Winfield, who is ranked 66th in the nation. This year's recruiting class has a different focus than last year's. Unlike the 2023 class, which was heavy on offensive talent, most of USC's top recruits this year are defensive players. USC hopes to build a top-five class for the first time since 2018 under coach Lincoln Riley. However, USC is under pressure to finish strong this time. Last year, they lost several five-star recruits and ended up with a disappointing class ranking of 14th. Many players decommitted, including key defensive talents. The Trojans’ new general manager, Chad Bowden, who was hired from Notre Dame, could play a crucial role in improving recruiting efforts. Bowden aims to focus more on high school recruits, emphasizing a long-term strategy for building the team. He believes this approach can help create a strong team culture. In recent years, USC has relied heavily on transfer players, but Bowden and the coaching staff hope that attracting high school talent will lead to better results. Coach Riley has faced challenges, with his record declining since he joined in 2021. To regain their former glory, USC must capitalize on their early recruiting success and secure their commitments by December.