Lincoln Riley is going full steam ahead at the 2026 class to secure the Trojans’ future. They ranked 15th last year, according to On3, and had one 5-star commit (Husan Longstreet). Riley’s already looking at securing talents before the 2025 ones get to step on the field. However, the HC has no choice because of how volatile high-school recruiting has become. Coming off a lackluster 7-6 finish last season, Riley knows he’s got to improve his talent pool for the future to change those numbers.
In the 2026 class, USC’s efforts are bringing a lot of good results. They’re up 13 places from the national ranking of the 2025 class and are also 1st in the B1G conference. Their star commit, linebacker Xavier Griffin, announced his commitment way back in July last year. But he’s still making visits to other programs, with Tennessee reportedly trying to close in. Georgia, on the other hand, is making a move. The nature of the recruiting class has become one where coaches not only have to scour the country for great talent but also have to do their best to keep them from other attractive offers. Money has become such an important factor that some players prefer it over the qualities of the program that resonate with them.
Blake Ruffino and Joe Deleone discuss the strategy Riley should employ. Ruffino said in an April 7 episode of their eponymous show, “Lincoln has got has got to just start locking [the commits] down.” Deleone responded by saying that Riley had upped the efforts this time.
“Last summer, they had a very aggressive push. They had commitments from a number of guys that were out of state. […] These are great commitments. But I don’t know if they stick.” Like Deleone said, holding onto the commitments is what makes the ultimate test for coaches. Bryce Underwood remained a hard commit to LSU but flipped to Michigan out of the blue. You never know with commitments these days, and this happens even after the commitments last for a long time.
NCAA Football: Southern California Press Conference
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – DECEMBER 20: Southern California Trojans coach Lincoln Riley speaks to the media at Heritage Hallon December 20, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kirby Lee/Getty Images)
Deleone also suggests that Riley should narrow down the list to the right kind of players. Instead of focusing on money and looking outside of California, the HC should focus on worthy talents who live nearby and value the short distance because of family.
“Guys that are coming cross country has always been a question mark to me. Those that are in and around California, committing early, those kids aren’t going to decommit. I would be really shocked if they end up decommitting.” A lot goes on behind picking the right program for a college career. Family is a huge factor that comes into play.
Deleone also said that Riley has an advantage over the other programs circling his commits because he got to them very early on. “It’s easier to recruit the local guys because they’re just right around the corner to you. You’re doing that before Oregon can start to reach their fingers in, and Washington, and all the those other Northwestern schools start gripping in. So them getting it done now is incredibly huge for them actually finishing with the top five class.”
So far, USC looks to be on the right track, with some great commits with them so far and an impressive class ranking. But Riley still has to keep at it. Because the minute he slips, the other programs will waste no time.
Snoop Dogg helps Lincoln Riley acquire star recruit
For star recruit RB Deshonne Redeaux, locality wasn’t the only factor that led him to commit to USC. Redeaux is a Cali native and chose home over other schools like UCLA, Oregon, and Georgia. He has some impressive numbers on the board in his high school career. Redeaux finished the 2024 season with 1,263 yards and 17 touchdowns. Having him commit is a huge win for Riley. But the fact that sealed the deal for him came from Hollywood. Snoop Dogg, to be precise.
The rapper loves football and is a huge Steelers fan. Redeaux’s overlap with the star is in the Snoop Youth Football League, in which he participated. That competition got him a chance to acquire a Division 1 scholarship. Once that came his way, Redeaux rejected offers from the others, which had veteran names like Kirby Smart. Snoop Dogg over Kirby Smart? Debatable and understandable at the same time.
The addition of Redeaux to Riley’s 2026 class improves the face of USC even more. Hopefully, the HC gets to rely more on local talents that are easier to work with overall. He can use all the help he can get to land these talents, even if it comes from nearby Hollywood.
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