Rivals gives USC future freshman standout the respect he deserves

The USC Trojans locked up the No. 1 recruiting class for 2026 on early signing day, a ranking that was never really in question. Now, they can also boast that the top player in the entire 2026 class will be heading to Los Angeles next year.

The nation's top edge rusher, Luke Wafle, a New Jersey prospect, committed to USC in what was a very close recruitment between the Trojans and Ohio State. Rivals and On3 just completed their final five-star rankings for the 2026 class and Wafle has been named the top player in 2026.

Fresh off being named Navy All-American Game MVP, Wafle wrapped up his senior season with an impressive 99 tackles and 23 sacks. He was also given a fifth star by ESPN in their final rankings. Only a high four-star ranking from 247Sports kept Wafle from being a consensus five-star prospect.

Joining him is fellow USC commit and newly minted five-star defensive tackle Jaimeon Winfield from Texas. With these additions, the Trojans now boast three five-star defenders in their 2026 class, including Ohio cornerback Elbert Hill, widely regarded as the best at his position.

USC pulled in an impressive haul of talent for the 2026 class. Some skeptics point to the large class of 35 commits as the reason the Trojans landed the No. 1 spot. While having that many commits certainly helps, it’s clear USC went after top-tier targets and walked away with some of the most coveted recruits in the country.

The Trojans will expect to get immediate returns from their investments into these top players and it is looking like they just may get what they bargained for.