Updated recruiting rankings should have USC fans excited for the future

USC entered the 2027 cycle with four commitments and had already positioned itself firmly inside the top 20. After Rivals and On3 completed their latest ratings update, the Trojans surged even higher, jumping to No. 10 nationally in the updated 2027 recruiting rankings.

A major factor in USC’s rise is the updated evaluation of wide receiver commit Eli Woodard out of Temecula, CA. Previously outside the top 300, Woodard made one of the biggest jumps in the new rankings, climbing to No. 203 and earning a solid four‑star rating. When he committed on Feb. 10, this site projected he would eventually pick up a fourth star and that expectation has now been confirmed.

With Woodard’s updated rating, USC now holds three four‑star commitments in the 2027 class. The lone three‑star pledge is USC legacy Isaia Vandermade, who also received a boost in the latest update. USC’s top‑rated commit remains wide receiver Quentin Hale out of Corona, CA, with nationally ranked top‑10 cornerback Aaryn Washington of IMG Academy close behind him.

The Trojans are just getting started on the 2027 recruiting trail, and it appears USC hasn’t even tapped into the full strength of its NIL resources yet. Among the current top‑10 teams, USC ranks last in NIL allocation per commit at just $99,000. For context, the next closest program is Notre Dame which sits at $105,000 per commit, making USC’s figure notably modest by comparison.