Four-star WR & Notre Dame legacy commits to Lincoln Riley's USC to the Class of 2026

Four-star wide receiver Trent Mosley has committed to USC's 2026 class. The Santa Margarita Catholic High School (California) chose Lincoln Riley's program on Tuesday, snubbing Marcus Freeman's Notre Dame, which was considered one of his top schools.

Mosley is USC’s first four-star wide receiver pledge in the 2026 cycle and joins Ja’Myron Baker as the second receiver in the class.

Mosley visited USC in early February for the Trojans' Junior Day and spoke highly of the experience, telling On3:

“I really enjoyed spending time with the coaches and hearing more about the vision. It feels like they are close to building something special.”

The 5-foot-10, 170-pound prospect has 170 career receptions for 2,599 yards and 22 touchdowns. In the 2024 season as a junior, he caught 61 passes for 908 yards and eight touchdowns, despite missing four games. He is the No. 23 wide receiver in the 2026 class and the No. 23 recruit in California, according to Rivals.

Mosley’s commitment helps USC secure the No. 1 spot nationally in the cycle with 14 pledges. He is also the second Santa Margarita player to commit to USC in the past month, following four-star edge rusher Simote Katoanga.

Why Trent Mosley picked USC over Notre Dame

Early in the recruiting process, Notre Dame was seen as the frontrunner to land Trent Mosley due to his strong family ties to the program. His father, Emmett Mosley IV, played football for the Irish from 1993 to 1996, finishing his career with 1,030 receiving yards.

His mother, Cindy Mosley, also known as Cyndi Daws, was a standout soccer player for Notre Dame in the 1990s. She scored 61 career goals and won the Hermann Trophy in 1996.

As a double Notre Dame legacy, the Irish had an early advantage in Mosley’s recruitment. However, USC began gaining momentum from January and ultimately emerged as the favorite. Leading up to his commitment, several recruiting analysts had already predicted he would choose the Trojans.

Despite missing out on Mosley, Notre Dame’s 2026 recruiting class remains strong, currently featuring seven commitments and ranking No. 11 nationally.

Meanwhile, the Irish also pursued his older brother, Emmett Mosley V, during the 2024 recruiting cycle, extending an offer in 2022. However, he ultimately chose to play at Stanford.