Carson Beck-led Miami loses key OT target to Lincoln Riley's USC 

The USC Trojans secured a big commitment on Thursday with class of 2026 offensive tackle Keenyi Pepe. The five-star prospect is considered the No. 5 offensive lineman and No. 44 overall prospect in his class according to the composite ranking of the four national recruiting services.

Pepe, who currently plays for IMG Academy (Florida), was highly recruited, receiving a lot of offers from college football programs around the country. He eventually committed to the Trojans over the other four schools that made his top five: Miami, Georgia, Texas and Florida.

Pepe's commitment comes after the tackle made an unofficial visit with the Trojans last weekend. He has a strong connection with the program as his brother, Kobe Pepe, has been on the team since 2020, appearing in 16 games over the last three seasons.

Pepe becomes USC’s second five-star commit in the class of 2026 after top linebacker talent Xavier Griffin. The Trojans currently lead the class of 2026 recruiting ranking with 25 hard commits so far, including 13 blue-chip talent, per 247Sports' prospect rating.

With an imposing frame and a commanding presence in the trenches, Keenyi Pepe projects as a polished pass protector who is considered a compelling prospect. He joins the likes of Esun Tafa, John Fifita and Vlad Dyakonov as the program's incoming offensive line prospect in 2026.

USC is returning to its prime form in recruiting

USC is rapidly assembling one of the premier recruiting classes of the 2026 cycle. With seven months remaining until National Signing Day, coach Lincoln Riley has secured the top-ranked class in college football, one that currently leads the nation by a considerable margin.

Furthermore, a host of top prospects are also projected to land at the program. 247Sports national recruiting analyst Cooper Petagna commented on their exploits last month.

"I think USC is going to finish with a top-10 class," Petagna said on "The Ultimate College Football Show" in April. "I don't think the floor is going to bottom out. I think USC, Lincoln Riley, Jen Cohen, their AD, they've done a good job to course-correct and fix a problem that they've had."

After two consecutive years finishing outside the top 10, the Trojans have laid the groundwork for what could be the strongest recruiting class of the Lincoln Riley era. This cycle marks a significant resurgence for the team on the recruiting trail as it starts to regain its national relevance.