Ranking the top five USC wide receivers heading into 2024 fall camp

Over the decades, USC football has been synonymous with great wide receiver play. After all, the program has produced such dynamic pass catchers as Keyshawn Johnson, Lynn Swann, Mike Williams, and others who have dominated the college game.

Last year, the Trojans had a pair of productive wide receivers to lean on. Though they won't go down as legends of the program, Tahj Washington and Brenden Rice were solid as they combined for 1,853 yards and 20 touchdowns and each averaged over 17.5 yards per reception.

That duo played as seniors last fall giving the offense some experience and leadership to lean on. Now, in 2024, the Trojans are likely to turn the receiving jobs over to a group of young pass catchers and whether or not they step up will be one of the keys to the team's success. So let's count down the top five receivers on the USC roster.

The old grizzled veteran of the USC receiving corps, Kyle Ford is back with the Trojans after spending one year at UCLA. Now, the question is whether he can earn a starting job.

For his career, Ford has caught 62 passes for 873 yards and six TDs. That makes him one of USC's most productive weapons.

However, Ford has never proven to be more than just a role player at the college level. He has never had more than 365 receiving yards in a season and last year with the Bruins he made just 22 receptions (a career-high) for 236 yards and one TD.

Now in his final college season, Ford has one more chance to break out. However, he's going to have to take a step forward if he's going to be a bigger part of the Trojan's attack this fall.

Another senior to watch this year is Charles Ross, a transfer from San Jose State who started his college career at Nevada. Like Ford, he's been a solid, but not spectacular, receiver throughout his career.

Over the last four seasons, Ross has snagged 69 passes for 893 yards and four touchdowns. But like Ford, he's never dominated as his career-high in yards is just 347, which came last season.

A former three-star recruit, Ross might have made an impression with the USC coaching staff last year. When San Jose State faced the Trojans a year ago, Ross was solid with five catches for 62 yards, both season-highs.

Now, Ross will try to play his way into the USC two-deep. One of four transfer WRs to sign with USC this offseason, can he make the jump from the Mountain West to the Big Ten? He'll have to if he wants to see the field this fall.

The next player on our list has yet to scratch the surface of what he should become. Still, because Makai Lemon is as talented as he is, he checks in as USC's third-best receiver.

Going by stats alone won't tell the story of what Lemon is. He caught only six passes for 88 yards a season ago as a true freshman.

However, the former top-50 national recruit has impressed this offseason. In fact, at Big Ten Media Days, USC safety Kamari Ramsey mentioned Lemon as a player who could have a breakout season.

The 5-foot-11, 190-pounder could be a true weapon in the slot this year for Lincoln Riley and the Trojan offense. So don't be shocked to see this sophomore establish himself as one of the better young players in the Big Ten.

Recruited as the nation's top tight end in the class of 2023, 6-foot-6 Duce Robinson found himself playing more wide receiver as a true freshman and he seemed to take to the change. He racked up 351 yards and two scores on only 16 catches. His 21.9 yards per reception led the Trojans among all players with more than one reception for the season.

Robinson's combination of size and athleticism make him a matchup nightmare. Now, he's poised to make a big sophomore jump.

Last season, he started the year strong with eight receptions in the first three games. Then he disappeared for a while going without a catch for four games.

However, he ended the year on the upswing. In USC's final four contests, he pulled down eight more catches and he scored a TD in the team's bowl victory over Louisville. Despite his sporadic play as a freshman, he finished third on the team in receiving yards last fall with 351 and he could be a breakout sophomore star this year thanks to his physical gifts.

There is no one on the USC football team with more God-given talent than Zachariah Branch. Now, the dynamic wide receiver and All-American kick returner needs to utilize his skills to become an elite wide receiver.

Last year, Branch ended up fourth on the team in receiving yards with 320 on 31 catches. Thus, he finished with an average of 10.3 yards per catch, a modest total for such an electric athlete. Now his head coach wants to see him take another step forward as a pass catcher.

“Yeah, we’ve really challenged him this year to become a bigger part and a more consistent part of our offense," Riley said at Big Ten Media Days. "That is really going to be part of his evolution. He had some really good moments for us offensively last year, but he wasn’t as impactful as he was on special teams. And certainly, I think he’s growing as a receiver, as a ball carrier, understanding offenses, understanding route running, understanding defenses, how we’re trying to attack people. There’s just a maturity and a growth process that we’ve really pushed him on, and I think he’s handled it well.  We’ve got a really talented group of receivers there that got a chance to showcase their skills in the bowl game”

Branch will be one of the game's most feared weapons as a return man after averaging 20.8 yards per punt return last year. But USC needs him to become the alpha dog in the receiving corps as well. He's got all the talent needed to do so. Now, it is time he takes the next step.