The USC Trojans 2027 recruiting class ranking has slowly been dropping this summer. It was once comfortably in the top 10 but has since fallen.
Nov 29, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley reacts after the game against the UCLA Bruins at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Rivals has USC's 2027 recruiting class ranked No. 13 in the country. They have the fourth highest ranked 2027 class in the Big Ten . Here are the three conference foes ranked ahead of them.
4. Oregon Ducks
5. Ohio State Buckeyes
11. Michigan Wolverines
13. USC Trojans
Just a matter of months ago, USC was threatening both Oregon and Ohio State for the top 2027 class in the Big Ten. Not only has USC slipped behind both of them and out of the top 10, Michigan has also surpassed them.
USC's 2027 class currently consists of 14 commits, with nine of them being rated either four or five stars. There are two five-stars in this group: athlete Honor Fa'alave Johnson and edge rusher Mekai Brown.
Oregon head coach Dan Lanning, left, and USC head coach Lincoln Riley shake hands before the game as the Oregon Ducks host the USC Trojans on Nov. 22, 2025, at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
Fa'alave-Johnson is a 6-0, 180 pound athlete out of San Diego, California. He is ranked as the No. 11 overall recruit and the No. 1 athlete in the 2027 class per Rivals. He has starred on both sides of the ball in high school for Cathedral Catholic.
On offense as a junior in 2025-26, he had 128 carries for 1,265 yards and 21 touchdowns to go along with 35 receptions for 564 yards and seven touchdowns. On defense, Fa'alave-Johnson had 38 total tackles, two interceptions, and one tackle for loss.
Mekai Brown is a 6-6, 235 pound edge rusher out off Greenwich, Connecticut. He is ranked as the No. 26 overall recruit and the No. 6 edge rusher in the 2027 class per Rivals. As a junior for Greenwich Country Day High School, Brown had 10-plus sacks with 68 tackles in nine games played.
Southern California coach Lincoln Riley looks for answers against Oregon during the second half touchdown Nov. 22, 2025. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
USC has work to do if they want to get anywhere near their ranking for their 2026 class. USC's 2026 recruiting class was ranked No. 1 in the country with 35 commits. 22 of these commitments were from players rated either four or five stars.
The two highest rated incoming Trojan 2026 recruits were both rated five-stars: edge rusher Luke Wafle and tight end Mark Bowman.
Wafle is a 6-5, 255 pound edge rusher out of Middletown, New Jersey and ranked as the best 2026 recruit at his position. Additionally, Rivals tabs him as the No. 5 overall ranked recruit in the 2026 class.
Aug 30, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley watches from the sidelines against the Missouri State Bears in the first half at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Bowman is a 6-4, 230 pound tight end out of Santa Ana, California. He is ranked as the No. 4 tight end and the No. 32 overall recruit in the 2026 class.
Will these two, along with other members of the 2026 class be able to contribute on the field right away as true freshmen?
USC could use all the help they could get as they have one of the most difficult schedules in the Big Ten. They have regular season matchups against the three best teams in the conference last season: the Oregon Ducks, Ohio State Buckeyes, and Indiana Hoosiers. All three made the College Football Playoff last season, with Indiana winning the national championship.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/usc as USC's Recruiting Class Ranked Behind Three Big Ten Foes .
