It’s no secret that USC is on fire recruiting in the 2026 cycle. The Trojans have far and away the No. 1 class in both On3 and 247Sports’ rankings and are dominating other powerhouse programs.
While USC is a college football blueblood, they aren’t always this dominant, so what is the reason behind the Trojans’ recent recruiting success?
College Analyst Dubs USC as the ‘Most Powerful NIL Program’
On3 insider Steve Wiltfong was on JD PicKell’s podcast, “The Hard Count,” where PicKell asked Wiltfong about USC’s recent recruiting success.
Wiltfong explained that no college football program can compete with USC’s NIL funding, saying, “USC is the most powerful NIL program in the country right now, by my estimation, from what I’ve seen on the trial. The opportunities being presented to these coveted targets on and off the field. Programs are struggling to compete with what USC is offering in that sphere.”
Wiltfong went on to explain that not only is USC able to offer these athletes potentially life-changing money, the opportunity to play at an elite program, and the chance to learn from head coach Lincoln Riley and a star-studded staff, but they are also creating a system where they can keep the players who sign.
As Wiltfong states on the podcast, the Trojans have a system put in place in which players who commit to their program are no longer able to visit other schools, which will greatly help USC retain the talent they have in the 2026 class.
PicKell later asked Wiltfong what the change has been at USC from previous years to this year, and Wiltfong gave credit to the recent addition of Chad Bowden as the general manager.
Bowden was Notre Dame’s general manager in 2024 and put together a roster that made the national title game. USC was able to poach Bowden and has now become one of the best recruiting schools in the country.
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The Trojans have already signed a whopping 27 commits in the 2026 cycle, including two five-stars and 16 four-stars. Time will tell if the Trojans can maintain this type of recruiting success across several cycles, but as Wiltfong pointed out, no one can compete with USC right now.
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