Lincoln Riley’s 2026 class grows with addition of local LB

USC head coach Lincoln Riley is building an extremely strong 2026 recruiting class, and it just got even stronger.

If in-state recruiting is vital, even for a program like USC, landing the recruits who are literally in your backyard is even more important.

That’s what makes the commitment of three-star linebacker Taylor Johnson such a big one for Riley and USC. Johnson is from San Bernardino, California, and goes to Cajon High School. That’s a two-hour drive from USC in LA’s infamous rush hour traffic.

Johnson had 12 intriguing offers, so he could have chosen a number of places to call home in college, but he decided to stay near home and play for the Trojans.