3 best USC football recruiting targets that can change the game for Lincoln Riley ft. Ryder Lyons

By Viraj Mali

Modified Aug 03, 2024 17:08 GMT

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The USC Trojans were in the limelight throughout the 2023-24 college football season, led by the No.1 overall pick of the 2024 NFL draft, Caleb Williams. However, they had a disappointing end to the season, finishing 8-5 and failing to qualify for the playoffs.

Lincoln Riley and company will have to bounce back this season and keep an eye on the future. They have already landed 14 commitments from the class of 2025 and will look to add a few prospects from the class of 2026. 247Sports ranks USC's class of 2026 as the nation's third-best.

The Trojans have already acquired four-star linebacker Xavier Griffin, four-star cornerback Brandon Lockhart, three-star wide receiver Ja'Myron Baker and three-star defensive back Madden Riordan.

Let's look at three potential recruits the Trojans can target from the class of 2026.

3 recruits USC can target from the class of 2026

#3. Jackson Cantwell

Jackson Cantwell is one of the best overall prospects from the class of 2026. The five-star offensive lineman from Nixa, Missouri, has received offers from 28 colleges. However, the five-star lineman trimmed his list down to 14 colleges, which included Lincoln Riley's USC.

Cantwell is ranked No. 2 nationally and the best offensive lineman in his class, per On3 Industry Rankings. He is also the best overall prospect from the state of Missouri.

The 6-foot-7.5 athlete is expected to sign with his home-state college, Missouri, but USC has a chance of pulling off the signing of one of the best high school players in the country.

#2. Kodi Greene

The four-star recruit from Santa Ana, California, Kodi Greene, is another top prospect from the class of 2026 that the USC Trojans can target. Greene is a 6-foot-5.5 offensive tackle from Mater Dei High School and holds offers from some of the best programs in the country, including the Trojans.

Greene is ranked No. 36 nationally and is the fifth-best offensive tackle in the country, as per On3 Industry Rankings. He is also the 5th-best overall prospect from California, his home state.

Although the Oregon Ducks lead the race to land the coveted prospect, the Trojans aren't far behind as they have the second-best odds of signing the four-star recruit, according to On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine.

#1. Ryder Lyons

Ryder Lyons, the quarterback from Folsom High School, is one of the top players from the class of 2026. The four-star recruit has received offers from USC, Washington, Texas A&M, Florida State, Ole Miss, Michigan, UCLA, Notre Dame and Oregon, among others.

Lyons is the 12th-best prospect in the country and the No. 3 quarterback from his class, per On3 Industry Rankings. He is also the second-best overall recruit from the state of California. According to On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine, the Trojans have the best chance of landing the four-star quarterback.

In his sophomore year at Folsom High School in 2023, he ran for 929 yards and 23 touchdowns while completing over 68% of his passes for 3,578 yards, 38 touchdowns and just eight interceptions.