Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley. Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images

Elite JUCO TE flips commitment from Utah to USC

By Andrew Kulha | Last updated Oct 27, 2025 7:14 PM ET

The USC Trojans are keeping one of the top junior college recruits home.

Josiah Jefferson, from Chula Vista, California (Southwestern College), had been committed to play football for the Utah Utes since June.

Jefferson took an official visit to USC in early October, though, and that visit with the Trojans was apparently enough to get him to change his mind. He took a few weeks to mull it over, but on Monday, the four-star JUCO standout announced his commitment to Lincoln Riley and the Trojans.

He's USC's 35th 2026 commitment in a class that is absolutely elite. The Trojans boasted the top recruiting class in college football before Jefferson came aboard.

Now, they've just gotten even stronger.

What Josiah Jefferson's commitment means for USC

Jefferson is a big-time commitment for USC. Also in the running earlier this summer were Oklahoma and Arizona.

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

The numbers suggest that Jefferson can be an immediate producer for the Trojans once he gets on campus.

He checks in at 6-foot-5, 230 pounds, which is elite size for a college tight end. During his first season at Southwestern, Jefferson finished with just 23 catches for 213 yards. Ahead of his second season, though, he was named a preseason Junior College All-American and lived up to the hype.

This fall, he caught 27 passes for 353 yards and four touchdowns, averaging 13.1 yards per catch.

According to the 247Sports Composite, Jefferson is the No.1-ranked JUCO tight end in the country as well as the No. 8 JUCO recruit overall.

USC's 2026 class is stacked, but it's highlighted, in particular, by two five-star recruits. Keenyi Pepe is a 5-star offensive tackle, and speaking of tight ends, the Trojans boast the commitment of 5-star tight end Mark Bowman. He's ranked as the No. 1 overall tight end in the 2026 class, so USC is going to be loaded at that position next season.

Andrew Kulha

Andrew Kulha is probably the only sports writer you know who also doubles as a mortician. Spooky! @KulhaSports

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