"Prematurely paying for commits just to lose them near signing day": Fans react as Lincoln Riley's USC lands commitment of 4-Star EDGE Simote Katoanga

Lincoln Riley and the USC Trojans secured a major recruiting win with the commitment of four-star edge rusher Simote Katoanga, a standout from Santa Margarita Catholic in California, on Sunday.

Ranked as the top edge defender in the state and a top-50 player nationally, Katoanga chose USC over elite programs like Ohio State, Georgia, Oregon and Notre Dame.

While USC fans welcomed the commitment, skepticism arose.

Some critics pointed to past trends, with one remarking:

"USC does this every cycle. Prematurely paying for commits just to lose them near signing day."

Another commented:

"All this to get dominated in the trenches."

Here is how others reacted.

"Well they had to finally win one recruitment for a Cali kid over ND eventually right," a fan said.

"USC is cooking," a fan remarked.

"USC the ND of this year. Start the year hot in recruiting then it starts to dwindle down the stretch," another remarked.

Expressing gratitude for his decision, Katoanga said:

"I want to thank God for all the blessings He has poured upon me. I want to thank my family and friends for all the support and love you have given me. It has been a long and difficult process, but after prayers and discussions with my family, I’m home."

Katoanga last visited USC on Feb. 1 and has an official visit scheduled for June 6.

“One of the biggest highlights of my visit was my meetings with the coaches,” Katoanga told On3. “I spoke with coach D’Anton Lynn, coach Shaun Nua, coach Eric Henderson and coach Lincoln Riley. They make me feel needed and like a priority. I love what they are building and can’t wait to see what their future looks like."

His commitment comes shortly after the Trojans flipped Lincoln-Way East (Ill.) four-star quarterback Jonas Williams from Oregon, further strengthening their 2026 class. Katoanga has visited USC four times.

Lincoln Riley prioritizes Southern California as USC’s 2026 class rises in rankings

Lincoln Riley has emphasized the importance of recruiting in Southern California but maintains that talent evaluation remains the top priority.

“We always wanna make it priority No. 1 to recruit Southern California,” Riley said. “But we gotta do a great job evaluating the guys and getting the guys that fit SC. I do think in the 2026 class, there’s a number of guys right now that really fit."

He noted that the 2026 cycle features several prospects who align well with the Trojans’ vision and credited the new defensive staff,

"I think, too, we’re seeing results now that our new defensive staff’s had some time to start building relationships with these guys locally in the ‘26 class. I think that’s been very positive as well. And I do think it’s just gonna be a really good year in the state.”

With the recent commitment of four-star edge rusher Simote Katoanga, USC’s 2026 recruiting class stands at 11 pledges. The Trojans currently boast the No. 1 class in the Big Ten and rank second nationally. Their recruiting haul includes five four-star prospects: Xavier Griffin, RJ Sermons, Brandon Lockhart, Braden Jones and Shahn Alston.