USC’s football team recruiting pulse didn’t cool after landing 2026 CB Jayden Crowder, a day removed from his Cal decommit. Lincoln Riley’s staff kept the local-to-LA momentum rolling out of Rancho Santa Margarita Catholic and elsewhere, stacking secondary talent in a class that already features multiple Carson Palmer-coached standouts and the nation’s top JUCO corner. The pattern is clear: plug priority needs with proven, college-ready pieces, then layer in high-upside speed.
Elite JUCO TE Josiah Jefferson has flipped his commitment from Utah to USC, he told Hayes Fawcett for Rivals. The 6’4, 230-pounder had been pledged to the Utes since June and is ranked as the No. 1 tight end in junior college, per Rivals.
BREAKING: Elite JUCO TE Josiah Jefferson has Flipped his Commitment from Utah to USC, he tells me for @rivals
The 6’4 230 TE had been Committed to the Utes since June
He’s ranked as the No. 1 TE in Junior College (per Rivals)https://t.co/0T9Ko0Mwt3 pic.twitter.com/VcgsYBBU4B
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) October 27, 2025
For a Trojans offense that thrives on spacing, Jefferson’s profile, inline toughness with downfield seam ability, adds a dimension that can stress Big Ten safeties and nickel linebackers immediately.
Why it matters schematically: USC’s football team's best versions under Riley feature a tight end who can detach, win on option routes, and finish in traffic. Jefferson’s frame and JUCO reps should translate to red-zone leverage, third-down reliability, and heavier sets that help balance a passing game that leaned on wideouts.
It also diversifies personnel groupings after a week that focused on back-end recruiting; pairing a top JUCO TE with a fresh wave of corners suggests roster building on both edges of the game plan.
The flip also arrives on the heels of a sobering checkpoint. USC fans were stunned by a 34-24 loss to No. 13 Notre Dame, ending a perfect start and prompting frustration over special teams swings, late turnovers, and run-defense leakage.
The Trojans trailed only 14-13 at halftime before being outscored 20-11 the rest of the way, with Jayden Maieva throwing for 328 yards and two scores but also two interceptions. The reaction was loud; the response now includes talent acquisition designed to shore up key situational weaknesses.
Taken together, the Crowder pivot and Jefferson flip reflect a recruiting strategy with an eye on near-term impact and Big Ten attrition. USC is replenishing the secondary while adding a matchup piece for the middle of the field, two areas that tend to decide November football.
