The next Early National Signing Period is still 11 months away, but the USC Trojans have been off to a fast start and are showing no signs of slowing down. Lincoln Riley and the Trojans coaching staff had a busy week on the recruiting trail venturing around California as they look to add to its No. 2 recruiting class in 2026 cycle, per the On3 Industry Rankings. 

USC started off the week by extending an offer to Mission Viejo (CA) four-star receiver and Georgia commit Vance Spafford. The talented local product is the No. 13 receiver and No. 76 overall prospect in the On3 Industry Rankings. The Trojans are late to the mix but will still have rest of the year to try and convince Spafford to play his college ball closer to home. 

Riley and USC running backs coach Anthony Jones stopped by Oaks Christian (CA) on Thursday to visit 2026 four-star running back Deshonne Redeaux. Oaks Christian is also the home of four-star cornerback Davon Benjamin. Riley was in attendance back in November to watch the two blue-chip recruits compete in the first round of the Division 2 CIF Southern Section playoffs. 

Redeaux is the No. 10 running back and No. 106 overall prospect and he is the No. 3 cornerback and No. 40 overall prospect in the 2026 On3 Industry Rankings. USC has been predicted to land both of the local products, but the Trojans staff will continue pulling out all of the stops. 

While Riley and Jones were in Westlake Village, several members of the Trojans staff were in Orange County to stop by two of the premier high schools in the country, Mater Dei and St. John Bosco. Both schools are flooded with division one talent on a yearly basis. The only commit the Trojans currently have from either school is Bosco’s 2026 three-star athlete Joshua Holland. 

Riley made the trip to Northern California to visit Folsom (CA) five-star quarterback Ryder Lyons on Friday. The highly coveted recruit is the brother of USC freshman tight end Walker Lyons. 

The younger Lyons is the and No. 3 quarterback and No. 10 overall prospect in the On3 Industry Rankings. USC has long been considered the favorite to land Lyons, but BYU, Oregon and Ole Miss remain in the mix. 

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“USC is high on my list,” Lyons told On3 in September. “There is a lot to like about USC. You have coach Riley. He has coached great quarterbacks that have won the Heisman Trophy and been drafted No. 1 in the NFL Draft. He is a great offensive mind and the defense is now playing at a different level.”

Riley also made a stop at Grant high school, one of the top programs in Northern California. USC defensive backs coach Doug Belk visited Loyola (CA) four-star cornerback commit Brandon Lockhart on Friday. He is one of two cornerbacks committed to the Trojans in the 2026 cycle, including Rancho Cucamonga (CA) four-star RJ Sermons. 

Last week, Riley and D’Anton Lynn made the trip down to San Diego County to visit Mount Miguel (CA) five-star athlete Brandon Arrington. The highly coveted two-sport star is being heavily pursued by Texas A&M and Oregon, but Riley is determined to what it takes to keep Arrington in Southern California. 

For years the Trojans have struggled to sign elite in-state talent but in the 2026 cycle, USC has made it a priority. With recruiting ramping up in the winter and spring months, Riley and his staff are pulling out all the stops to remain hot on the trail. 

“We always wanna make it priority No. 1 to recruit Southern California,” Riley said in October. “But we gotta do a great job evaluating the guys and getting the guys that fit SC. I do think in the 2026 class, there’s a number of guys right now that really fit. And I think too, we’re seeing results now that our new defensive staff’s had some time to start building relationships with these guys locally in the ‘26 class. I think that’s been very positive as well.”

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