USC back to No. 1 in On3 Industry Team Recruiting Rankings after latest commitment

USC continues to build an elite recruiting class this cycle. Another big pledge on Thursday vaulted the Trojans back to the No. 1 spot in the On3 Industry Team Recruiting Rankings.

Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy four-star offensive tackle Keenyi Pepe is now in the mix, as the Southern California native has announced his commitment to head coach Lincoln Riley and Co. following a spring visit last weekend.

The No. 44 overall prospect and No. 5 OT in the nation, Pepe becomes the 25th commitment for the Big Ten program this cycle. USC is now back ahead of LSU and once again holds the nation’s No. 1 recruiting class in 2026 to date.

Pepe is now the seventh top-100 recruit in the fold for USC, as well as the sixth offensive lineman. No team has more commits thus far as the Trojans have just about filled out their entire pledge list before the summer.

Trojans are deep in the trenches

Pepe is a headlining addition to USC’s class that continues to load up on both the offensive and defensive lines. Draper (Utah) Corner Canyon four-star interior offensive lineman Esun Tafa committed last month and is the No. 17 IOL in the cycle.

Folsom (Calif.) three-star OT Vlad Dyakonov, Denver Valor Christian three-star IOL Kannon Smith, Mountain View (Calif.) St. Francis three-star IOL John Fifita and San Diego Cathedral Catholic OT Chase Deniz have each also joined the fold since the beginning of March.

On the defensive side, three blue-chippers headline. Richardson (Texas) four-star DL Jaimeon Winfield is a top-100 prospect. Santa Ana (Calif.) Mater Dei four-star DL Tomuhini Topui flipped from Oregon and is a top-150 recruit. Chicago Mount Carmel four-star DL Braedon Jones has been in the mix since October and is just outside the top 150.

Star power on both sides of the ball

It doesn’t end in the trenches, either. There’s a slew of elite recruits committed to the Trojans on both offense and defense.

Gainesville (Ga.) five-star linebacker Xavier Griffin is the No. 2 LB in the cycle. Rancho Cucamonga (Calif.) five-star cornerback RJ Sermons and Los Angeles Loyola four-star CB Brandon Lockhart form a formidable DB duo. Rancho Santa Margarita (Calif.) Catholic four-star EDGE Simote Katoanga is the No. 61 prospect and No. 9 EDGE in the nation.

On offense, Frankfort Heights (Ill.) Lincoln-Way East four-star quarterback Jonas Williams — who also flipped from Oregon — is a top-100 prospect and the No. 8 QB in the nation. Painesville (Ohio) Harvey four-star running back Shahn Alston and Los Angeles Oaks Christian four-star RB Deshonne Redeaux are each in the mix as the No. 11 and No. 13 RBs in the cycle.

Santa Margarita Catholic four-star wide receiver Trent Mosley is the No. 29 WR overall and one of four receivers in the mix, alongside Opelousas (La.) Catholic On3 four-star Roderick Tezeno, Los Alamitos (Calif.) Sierra Canyon three-star Ja’Myron Baker and Waxahachie (Texas) three-star Kohen Brown.