USC predicted to land elite 2027 defensive back from in-state pipeline

The USC Trojans have locked in the unanimous No. 1 recruiting class for 2026, and General Manager Chad Bowden and his team aren’t slowing down. With the 2027 recruiting cycle heating up, they’re looking to make a big splash as they kick off the next chapter of the program’s success. That chapter is in the form of 2027 recruiting class and appears to have an early headliner of the class.

The Trojans received multiple expert predictions to land Mater Dei cornerback and class of 2027 cornerback Aaryn Washington.

Washington is set to announce his commitment at the Navy All-American Game on January 10, 2026. Known as a lockdown corner, he missed much of his junior season after injuring his ankle during track and field. A composite four-star blue-chip prospect, Washington is ranked No. 80 nationally and No. 9 at his position. A commitment from Washington would strengthen the momentum USC is building in the secondary for the future, as he would join talents like Elbert Hill and Brandon Lockhart from the 2026 class.

Mater Dei Pipeline

Washington is a Mater Dei prospect, meaning a commitment from him would mark the fifth from the elite prep school from the Monarchs to join the Trojans in the 2026 and 2027 classes. He would be joining Mark Bowman, Tomuhini Topui, Kayden Dixon-Wyatt, and Shaun Scott who all feature in the 2026 class.

The Trojans don’t have a commitment for 2027 yet, but that likely won’t be the case for long. While they won’t be taking on 35 commits like in 2026, the 2027 class is still projected to finish in the top five. Securing an elite shutdown corner like Aaryn Washington is a great first step toward making that happen.