USC Trojans' Lincoln Riley Reveals Team's Most Underrated Players

When Riley was asked about a couple of players he is excited for this season, the USC coach struggled to narrow down his picks. He focused on the linebacker room first, which will have valuable, talented depth this season.

“I think some of the young linebackers, I’m really excited to see," Riley said. "Desman Stephens, you know, flashed some in his play last year. Jadyn Walker is back healthy and has been very, very impressive.”

USC linebacker Desman Stephens is heading into his second season with the Trojans. He was a four-star recruit coming out of high school and saw action in all 13 games of the season. He finished the year with 13 combined tackles, one forced fumble, and one interception.

Trojans' linebacker Jadyn Walker was redshirted last season, only playing in one game. His lone appearance was against the Texas A&M Aggies in the Las Vegas Bowl. While fans have not seen much of Walker, the USC coach is excited for him, and he will be a player to watch this season.

In addition to Stephens and Walker, Riley also highlighted incoming freshmen Matai Tagoa’i and AJ Tuitele.

Tagoa’i is a California native, joining the team as a four-star recruit. In his senior year last season, Tagoa’i recorded 52 tackles, including 12.5 tackles for loss and five sacks, four pass breakups, and one forced fumble. 

Tuitele is a fellow true freshman, joining the program as a three-star recruit. As a high school senior, he recorded 167 tackles, including 37 tackles for loss and four sacks. He had 10 games of double-digit tackles. Despite being a true freshman, Tuitele could be a quick riser on the Trojans' defense this season.

Deep Running Back Depth

Riley also highlighted the running back room, which will look very different from last season. Running back Woody Marks was a top offensive player for the team last season, but is now in the NFL, while Quinten Joyner entered the portal. Without the No. 1 and No. 2 running backs from last season, there could be concern, but Riley is excited.

“I would also say the running back room. You know, going to be some new faces in there. You know, Bryan Jackson is the one returner, and he did a really nice job for us in the bowl game. We’re excited about him,” Riley said.

Running back Bryan Jackson saw game action as a true freshman in all 13 games, but with Joyner and Marks, he has had to wait for his time to shine. Neither Marks nor Joyner played in the Las Vegas Bowl, giving Jackson a chance to show the team what he can do.

During the bowl game, Jackson had 16 carries for 66 yards and one touchdown, his lone touchdown of the season. He finished 2024 with 36 carries for 188 yards and one touchdown.

In addition to Jackson, running back King Miller was with USC but did not see any game action, looking to compete for playing time this season. 

“You bring in Waymond Jordan. You bring in Eli Sanders, you know, two guys that are, you know, proven at this level that can both really play. We’re really excited about King Miller in there. And then also Harry Dalton’s a freshman we signed,” Riley said.

Running back Waymond Jordan transferred to the Trojans in the spring from Hutchinson CC. Jordan was the No. 1 Juco running back in the nation and is bringing elite experience to the Trojans in the fall. In 2024, he rushed for 1,614 yards with 20 touchdowns.

Running back Eli Sanders is another big transfer who spent three seasons with Iowa State before transferring to New Mexico. After one season with New Mexico, Sanders is joining the Trojans with much experience after rushing for 1,063 yards and nine touchdowns last season.

Incoming freshman Harry Dalton is a four-star recruit who also has experience at quarterback. While he may not have the collegiate experience other players in the room have, he adds valuable depth, and his athleticism could help him see the field in 2025.

“Those two rooms have been fun to watch. And then, ironically, I mean, they compete a lot against one another. So, just watching those two groups go at it in practice has been pretty fun,” Riley said.

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