Adding 4-star OL Kannon Smith gives USC a force in the trenches

A lot of focus has been on the 2026 class for USC, and for good reason. That impressive bunch of Future Trojans added to their already impressive recruits early Monday afternoon for the offensive line. Suring up that unit is a must-have, and coach Lincoln Riley is doing an excellent job with the staff in ensuring that that unit will be formidable in the years to come.

Kannon Smith announced via social media that he would be committing to USC. Playing mostly at left tackle, the four-star high school player out of Colorado can line up at a number of positions. He's even made an impression on the defensive side of the trenches.

While with the Valor Christian football program, he's seen snaps with the varsity team since his 2022 freshman season. In pass protection, Smith is solid and holds up against the rush. On run plays, he is a nightmare for opposing linebackers.

At 6'5" and 260 lbs., his size and athleticism often result in the LBs not having an answer. Particularly when pulling from the right tackle position, he offers a complete nightmare matchup for the other side's defensive schemes.

According to On3's Hayes Fawcett, Smith had a final three of USC, Oregon, and Penn State. He was on campus during April, and the picture he took with coach Riley appears as part of the announcement post when he informed everyone of his decision.

A lot of interest from other programs

With another visit to LA planned in June, the recruit will now be arriving in the summer as a commit. A number of other schools had interest in adding Smith to their o-line room, as he had plans to go to the following other universities that had also offered him. They included the two aforementioned programs as well as UCLA, Alabama, and Stanford.

It's clear that a lot of fanbases wanted to see Smith join their team. With this decision now made, Trojan fans will be happy that he'll be playing on the offensive line at USC. He's going to be someone that will be able to fit right in and make an impact in the trenches for coach Riley's offense.