USC Trojans Emerging As Early Contenders For Four-Star Defensive Line Recruit?

Tuihalamaka spoke with Rivals about his recruitment and has taken note of USC coach Lincoln Riley and the Trojans' effort in trying to keep him home.

“They’ve been pushing really hard. They text me just about every day. Just knowing they’re willing to reach out every day and get to know me. It’s in my mind and that’s what’s going on so the work they’re putting in will help with my recruiting class," Tuihalamaka said.

The No. 22 defensive lineman and No. 235 player in the country according to 247Sports, Tuihalamaka is the No. 4 defensive lineman in California and holds 17 offers. His recruitment has exploded this offseason and his most recent offers include Michigan, Texas, and Texas A&M.

Notre Dame is another program that has had their eye on Tuihalamaka. The Fighting Irish are a program that the California native is very familiar with considering his older brother Junior is entering his senior season with the program.

Junior Tuihalamaka was a four-star recruit in the 2022 recruiting cycle and was originally committed to USC before ultimately signing with Notre Dame.

For the younger Tuihalamaka brother, the Trojans are currently the favorites for his commitment according to Rivals' Prediction Machine. The RPM gives USC an 11.3 percent chance of landing the Golden State native. However, there is still a long way to go until the Early National Signing Period next year.

Trojans Pursuing Other Top In-State Recruits

Currently, the Trojans have 32 commits in their 2026 recruiting class. 17 of them are from California and that isn't by coincidence. When Bowden was hired at the beginning of the year, he emphasized the importance of recruiting the Golden State.

"If you look at it, there have been plenty of players up front that have come from California, that have been incredibly successful, whether it's at USC or other places. We've just got to continue to identify, evaluate, recruit and be on the right ones, and we will," Bowden said. 

In the 2027 recruiting cycle, USC is in the mix for a handful of the top in-state recruits. Four-star defensive linemen Elija Harmon and Jon Ioane are among the Trojans' top targets in California along with Tuihalamaka.