While college football fans debated spring game performances, USC quietly constructed a recruiting juggernaut. The Trojans have surged to the nation’s #1 recruiting class with an impressive 27 commitments already secured, and insiders suggest they’re just getting started.
The momentum has been powerful this past week with four new blue-chip additions: Elbert Hill, Keenyi Pepe, Roderick Tezeno, and Luc Weaver, all joining USC. But what’s most surprising isn’t just the volume of commitments; USC’s recruiting strategy appears fundamentally different from last year’s boom and bust cycle.
Analyst Explains USC Football’s No. 1 2025 Class: Key Commits, Future Targets, and NIL Impact
Scott Schrader of WeAreSC has been predicting USC’s recruiting dominance all offseason, and the past week proved him right. The Trojans secured crucial commitments from Keenyi Pepe, an imposing offensive tackle from IMG Academy, and cornerback Elbert Hill out of Cleveland, both potential day one contributors.
When asked if these players could compete for starting positions immediately, Schrader noted, “I always hesitate to say yes on that kind of question, but I certainly wouldn’t say they can’t compete either.” He pointed to Pepe being “physically ready” size-wise to potentially step in early.
The Trojans aren’t just collecting current talent. They’re building for the future. According to Schrader, USC is heavily pursuing elite wide receiver Jaylen Lott, one of the few remaining receiver targets they have room for in their loaded class. “He has a sister who runs track at USC as well. So, there’s a lot of familiarity with USC, what the school and the program have to offer,” Shrader explained.
Perhaps most intriguing is USC’s pursuit of quarterback Ryder Lyons, technically a 2027 prospect who’s visited campus “five or six times just this year.” Despite being years away from college, Schrader believes his recruitment won’t “go past July” and that “USC is in a really strong spot for him.”
What makes this recruiting surge different from last year’s class, which eventually fell apart, is that Schrader identified several key factors, including increased coach familiarity. “Last year, almost the entire defensive staff had just got to USC in like January. So there wasn’t a whole lot of familiarity with those guys”, he explained.
Perhaps most significantly, Schrader identified USC’s NIL operation as the critical difference from last year: “I think the biggest difference is that their NIL collective is in really, really strong shape right now. And I think ultimately that’s probably the biggest determiner of them not losing a whole lot of kids this go around.”
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With 27 commitments already secured and plans for potentially 35 total players in this class, USC appears positioned to maintain its recruiting dominance throughout this cycle, especially if its strengthened NIL program continues delivering results. The Trojans are building a foundation that could rival any program in college football for years to come.
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