USC adds a commitment from a major reinforcement on the defensive line

The Trojans kept their momentum going in the transfer portal this week, landing former Penn State edge rusher Zuriah Fisher. Fisher plans to apply for a medical waiver, which will likely be approved, allowing him to return for his seventh season of college football.

Fisher, a standout from the 2020 high school class where he ranked among the top 20 at his position, is now making waves as a transfer prospect. He still holds a four-star rating and is regarded as one of the top 100 players in the portal.

After an injury-riddled 2024 season, he bounced back to start eleven games for the Nittany Lions in 2025. Fisher fills a big need for the Trojans, who were desperate for a veteran presence on the defensive edge in 2026.

With nearly 820 snaps under his belt and plenty of familiarity with the Big Ten, he fits the bill perfectly for what the Trojans were looking for. His 30 quarterback pressures from a season ago would have ranked No. 1 on the team in 2025 and his 15.5%-win rate against blockers would have also led the team in 2025.

For the Trojans, the standard remains the same in the early stages of the transfer portal. Bringing in ready-made contributors with significant Power Four experience is the recipe for success that Chad Bowden and Lincoln Riley are focusing on.

Fisher is set to be an instant impact player on the edge in 2026, and his experience will be invaluable to an incoming recruiting class ranked No. 1 in the nation. The Trojans are steadily assembling the pieces this offseason, and it’s clear their roster building is being approached with a playoff-or-bust mentality for 2026.