USC football landed a local talent who originally committed to a past conference rival. This Thursday decision completes a 180 flip by a cornerback once heading to Cal.
The Trojans completed the pivot for Jayden Crowder, with the CB confirming to Hayes Fawcett of On3/Rivals his intentions of joining USC.
“Blessed and excited to be a part of this journey! Fight on,” Crowder told Fawcett before unveiling his commitment graphic.
The 5-foot-11, 170-pounder is a nearby talent Lincoln Riley and company help swoop up. Crowder stars for Trinity League powerhouse Rancho Santa Margarita Catholic — coached by USC legend Carson Palmer.
That now makes three Palmer players verbally committed to USC — as Crowder joins Trent Mosley and Simote Katoanga. The latter USC commit told ClutchPoints back in September that Palmer never really pushed him toward USC, but Palmer has been a great mentor during his recruitment.
USC loading on secondary during final recruiting push
The Trojans are boosting the secondary with the early National Signing Day period still more than a month away.
Jakwon Morris accepted USC's offer back on Monday. The Trojans in the process landed the nation's top-ranked junior college cornerback out of Northwest Mississippi Community College.
USC cornerbacks coach Trovon Reed has been hard at work in adding secondary talent this late in the '26 college football recruiting cycle. He's pulled off two major commits right after USC's monumental Big Ten win over Michigan inside the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
Reed proactively is locking in future ballhawks and lockdown corners in the Land of Troy. Elbert Hill of Akron, Ohio is his highest ranked commit as a four-star pledge. USC has managed to keep nearby talent Brandon Lockhart too, who's a four-star out of Sierra Canyon in Chatsworth.
Peyton Dyer (Chattanooga) and Joshua Holland (St. John Bosco in Bellflower) are two more Reed additions to the CB room. Lockhart's Sierra Canyon teammate Madden Riordan is another Reed recruit. Crowder now adds a brand new local talent.
