Lincoln Riley and the USC Trojans are off to a fantastic start on the recruiting front for the upcoming 2025 class. However, there’s also an emphasis even further down the line with one top 2026 recruiting naming USC as one of the schools he’s interested in for 2026.
The primary focus of the Trojans’ recruiting staff right now is on the 2025 class, which rates as one of the best in the nation but that’s not the only front where they are faring well. USC is currently fated by 247 Sports as having the fourth-best 2026 class with four players already committed. There’s also a chance that spot in the team rankings could get even stronger.
Related: USC Trojans football commits 2025
As reported by Hayes Fawcett of On3.com, tight end Kendre Harrison has named USC as one of the 15 schools he is focused on in his recruiting process.
The Trojans are going to be competing with the Florida Gators, Georgia Bulldogs, Oregon Ducks, Penn State Nittany Lions, Alabama Crimson Tide, Auburn Tigers, North Carolina Tar Heels, LSU Tigers, Ohio State Buckeyes, Oklahoma Sooners, Florida State Seminoles, Ole Miss Rebe, and Notre Dame Fighting Irish as programs on his radar.
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Kendre Harrison football background
The biggest draw with recruiting Harrison is his potential on the football field. While he’s currently rated as a four-star recruit by 247 Sports, his 92 overall rating makes him the second-best player in the 2026 recruiting class right now.
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Coming out of Reidsville High School in North Carolina, there are a few things that stand out about Harrison. First, it’s the 6-foot-7 frame which would immediately make him one of the biggest tight ends in college football. Remarkably, at 235 pounds, he is very athletic and moves very well for his size at that age.
- Kendre Harrison Maxprep stats (football): 62 receptions, 940 receiving yards, 16 touchdowns
He’s already producing on the field, so this is about so much more than potential alone. As a freshman, he scored 5 touchdowns and averaged 15.5 yards per reception for the varsity team. He then emerged as the focal point of the offense as a sophomore, averaging 15.2 yards per reception, 62.7 yards per game and scored 16 touchdowns in 15 games.
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There’s another way to highlight Harrison’s athleticism. He was a two-way player in football as a sophomore, recording 17 tackles for loss and 76 tackles. On top of that, Reidsville had him return 3 kickoffs last season though the longest only went for 21 yards.
Kendre Harrison basketball background
There are plenty of elite athletes dominating two sports in high school, but they are rarely viewed as the caliber of players who can pull that off at the college level. That’s not the case with Harrison, who is wanted just as badly by college basketball coaches as football coaches.
- Kendre Harrison stats basketball (MaxPreps): 19.4 points per game, 15.1 rebounds per game, 3.7 blocks per game, 67% FG last season
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According to Rivals.com, Harrison has scholarship offers to play basketball for programs like the Florida State Seminoles, Penn State Nittany Lions, Wake Forest Demon Deacons and Georgetown Hoyas. More interestingly, while he doesn’t have an offer yet, he took an unofficial visit to North Carolina in March.
Rated as the 31st-best player in the 2026 basketball recruiting class by Rivals and ranked as the 22nd-best player in the nation by ESPN, Harrison has more than enough talent to play two sports for a top program. Considering both the Trojans’ football and basketball programs are always in need of elite athletes, a commitment from Harrison would be monumental for USC.
