Ad Disclosure
USC earns commitment from top-100 2026 defender
Published:
USC landed a verbal commitment on Friday from Richardson (Texas) High defensive lineman Jaimeon Winfield.
A 6-foot-4, 290-pound defender from the Lone Star State, Winfield is viewed as one of the best defensive line prospects in the 2026 class. He chose USC from a list of offers that also included Alabama, Auburn, Georgia, LSU, Miami, Michigan, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Ole Miss, Texas, and Texas A&M, among others.
— Jaimeon winfield (@13saxxx) March 14, 2025
In the industry-generated 247 Composite, Winfield is ranked as the eighth-best defensive lineman in the class and the 12th-best recruit, regardless of position, from the state of Texas. He sits at No. 85 overall in the national player rankings. He is a consensus 4-star recruit.
Last fall, Winfield recorded 45 tackles, 22 tackles for loss, 8.5 sacks, 3 pass breakups, and 2 blocked kicks.
His pledge adds to what is the nation’s top-ranked recruiting class in the 2026 cycle. USC now holds 15 known commitments in a group that is shaping up to be a potentially transformational one for head coach Lincoln Riley. The top 4 recruits by Composite ranking are all on the defensive side of the football. And first-year defensive line coach Eric Henderson has been the lead recruiter on 2 of those, Winfield included.
You can see Winfield’s highlight tape below, via Hudl:
Derek Peterson does a bit of everything, not unlike Taysom Hill. He has covered Oklahoma, Nebraska, the Pac-12, and now delivers CFB-wide content.