USC Sees Three Players Selected in 2026 NFL Draft

The 2026 NFL Draft concluded with USC seeing three players selected, including first-rounder Makai Lemon, who was picked by the Philadelphia Eagles.

USC’s Kamari Ramsey went in the fifth round at the 141st pick to the Houston Texans. With this draft, USC now has a total of 541 players drafted, while Notre Dame trails slightly with 545 players selected.

Lemon’s selection at No. 20 was below expectations, as many anticipated he would go No. 13 to the Los Angeles Rams. Instead, the Rams surprised fans by selecting Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson at that spot.

The Baltimore Ravens picked Ja’Kobi Lane from USC in the third round with the 80th overall pick. This draft marked Lincoln Riley’s fourth USC draft class, and it is the second consecutive year with only three players drafted.

USC tied with Duke, South Carolina, TCU, Illinois, and Utah as schools with three players drafted, a level of output not typical for USC. Ohio State led the draft with an impressive eleven players selected.

Notably, USC has not had a draft class with eleven players since 2009, when Mark Sanchez, Brian Cushing, and Clay Matthews were among the first-rounders. During that draft, USC sent a total of 11 players to the NFL.

The Trojans’ recent drafts indicate a decline, with only three players selected in the previous year as well. The Houston Texans selected Jaylin Smith, extending USC’s streak of having a top three round draft pick to 25 years.

In contrast, the 2024 class featured Caleb Williams, who was the No. 1 overall pick to the Chicago Bears. This trend highlights the shifting fortunes of USC compared to other programs like Ohio State, Alabama, Texas A&M, and Miami, all of which had significantly more players drafted this year.

Ohio State’s eleven players drafted stand in stark contrast to USC’s recent performance. The last time USC sent two linebackers in the first round was 17 years ago, with Cushing and Matthews being the last from that position.

Overall, USC’s draft performance raises questions about the program’s current standing in college football. The Trojans will need to re-evaluate their strategy moving forward as they aim to improve their draft output in the coming years.