USC Trojans At Risk Of Losing A 5-Star Recruit To Ohio State Buckeyes?

While Hill chose USC over Ohio State, the Buckeyes could still sway the cornerback before he signs with the Trojans. Being an Ohio native, Hill does not live far from the campus, and his decision could come down to how the 2025 season goes for both programs.

The Buckeyes are reigning College Football National Champions, and if the team can continue to win in 2025, Hill could be swayed to flip. Living close to the campus, the Buckeyes have an easier chance to get Hill to come to games in the fall, which could impact his recruitment.

Ohio State will be putting emphasis on recruiting defensive backs after four-star safety Jakob Weatherspoon flipped his commitment to North Carolina.

Riley and the Trojans will not face Ohio State this season, but their on-field play could affect recruiting. The USC Trojans finished the 2024 season with a 7-6 record, going 4-5 in Big Ten conference play. The Trojans are under pressure to improve this season, and if the team does not make a bigger push, Hill and other commits could flip to a team that is winning more games.

While a Hill flip is something to watch for in the fall, the Trojans are doing well with recruiting, and the four-star cornerback commit has no intentions of changing his decision as of now. One of the reasons that Hill committed to USC over Ohio State is the team that the Trojans are building through recruiting.

“The direction of the program, the pieces they’re putting around it. This program will be great in the next few years,” Hill told On3. 

USC’s secondary coach Doug Belk is one of the top recruiters in the nation. Belk and USC have received six commitments from secondary players, including Hill. The top defensive backs from the class of 2026 include four-star cornerbacks Brandon Lockhart and Peyton Dyer.

The USC Trojans' recruiting class of 2026 ranks No. 1 in the nation, per On3. The team has reached 31 total commitments. The commits feature two five-star and 19 four-star recruits. The team is adding key pieces for each position, building a dominant team. 

While there is excitement surrounding the incoming recruits and the energy is high in the building, the big-time commits will not be on the team for another season. This puts more pressure on the 2025 season than there already is. There are concerns heading into the 2025 season about whether Riley is on the hot seat, but now USC's performance could impact the 2026 recruiting class.

The more games USC wins, the more likely Hill and the other commits are to stay excited about the future of the program. If the Trojans can keep Hill and the other top recruits excited and committed to the program, USC can turn into one of the top teams in the nation for the next couple of years.

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