Talented c/o '26 4-star WR Kohen Brown decommits from USC

It has been great hearing about the vast announcements of recruits committing to USC. The classes of 2026 and 2027 are heavily owned by the Trojans, with both of those years' recruiting ranks seeing SC in the No. 1 position.

Friday morning saw one of the wide receiver commits of the '26 class announce his decommitment from the program. In a post on social media, four-star Kohen Brown out of Texas made it known that he appreciated what the staff had done for him up to this point but that he would be considering all options moving forward.

The news of one team missing out on a player opens up the possibility among other fan bases. Brown's update offered hope among supporters from different schools that the WR would consider switching his allegiance to them.

Among a number of interested schools that had offered Brown a spot, SMU and Baylor could be potential new landing spots for the now-former Trojan commit to look for.

While it is a sting for the USC recruiting efforts, particularly after so many positive updates and decisions going the Trojans' way, most anticipate more athletes to reconsider. After all, there is a long way to go between now and the beginning of the 2026 and 2027 seasons, respectively.

No need to worry for USC fans

Even so, there isn't a need to sound alarm bells or anything of that nature. In truth, this is what the current college landscape looks like. Players will announce their intention to join, but until they physically step foot on campus as a student-athlete, that's all it is, an intention.

That being said, GM Chad Bowden and coach Lincoln Riley are now working more so on securing commitments from people that they have built a strong relationship with and who are invested in building the Trojan way.

While some may view it as something of a waste to spend so much time and energy on prospects who are over a year out from joining, it's indeed this approach that will yield more solid commitments all around.

There will be high schoolers and college athletes who have a change of heart throughout the country. That isn't an indictment of the school's approach. Instead, it simply means that for whatever reason, Brown is opting to not pursue the opportunity to play for the Cardinal and Gold.

If this current cycle is any indication, coach Riley shouldn't have too much of an issue replacing the talent level that will now play elsewhere a year from now.