The USC Trojans are looking far down the road, pushing chips into the center of the table for 2027 four-star QB Peyton Houston. It’s a bold, forward-thinking move that fits Lincoln Riley’s quarterback-whispering identity. But while Riley’s gaze drifts toward the next wave of talent, questions are swirling around a much bigger name in the near term. What does this mean for the recruitment of the 2026 5-star QB? Is his official date being changed or canceled? The Trojans have been circling one of the top quarterback recruits in America for over a year, and suddenly, that future feels murky.

Ryder Lyons, a five-star out of Folsom (Calif.) with a tantalizing skill set and family ties to the program. USC LAFB host Ryan Dyrud summed up the situation bluntly: “Lincoln Riley has recruited him very early on in the process, has been to Folsom many times to see him play. His style—I mean, he’s a phenomenal quarterback. Let’s not take anything away from that. Five-star, fantastic. The mobility—everything I said about Peyton Houston aligns with that in spades. Plus, he’s a five-star already.”

Lyons has long felt like a natural fit for Lincoln Riley’s system—dynamic, polished, and familiar with the playbook from a distance. But now? The waters are murkier.

According to Dyrud, delays in Lyons’ decision and new demands on the NIL front may be shifting USC’s internal focus. “It always felt like he was going to end up at USC, but I think because the process has taken longer, the commitment hasn’t happened yet. Still wants to take all these official visits. Plus, now there’s chatter out there that the NIL he’s asking for is pretty large, pretty big—five-star as he should.” Then came the bombshell opinion.

“Because of this new age where, for a lot of recruits—and I don’t care what Kirby Smart cries about—all schools are doing this… a lot of recruits, you kind of have to pay before they’re even on campus to keep their commitment,” Dyrud added. That’s not speculation anymore. That’s the new cost of doing business.

If that’s the case, USC is staring at a massive financial calendar. “You’re talking about paying for a player for two years before he gets to campus,” he added. “Because you got this whole ’25 season—he’ll be a senior in high school.” That’s the wrinkle.

Lyons plans to graduate in December and then immediately embark on his LDS mission, which means he wouldn’t enroll until the spring of 2027. So any upfront NIL investment would sit idle for two full seasons. That’s a steep proposition—even for a quarterback with as much upside as Lyons.

To further complicate things, the Trojans have already loaded up on arms. Five-star Husan Longstreet, a smooth operator from Corona Centennial (Calif.), is signed and ready for 2025. Four-star Jonas Williams out of Lincoln-Way East (Ill.) has pledged for 2026. The room is getting crowded, and while Lincoln Riley is known for QB development, balancing that much blue-chip talent could fracture a delicate ecosystem.

Other schools are sensing blood in the water—Oregon and BYU have entered the race for Lyons, leveraging uncertainty and proximity. Even though Lyons was on campus twice in April, including for visits related to his older brother Walker—a sophomore tight end at USC—his recruiting window is wide open again. Lincoln Riley’s QB pipeline is legendary. He’s coached Heisman winners, first-round picks, and record-breakers. But in 2025, coaching talent isn’t enough—you have to outbid, outlast, and outmaneuver the NIL marketplace.

Lincoln Riley’s WR room is ready to light it up for QBs

If Lincoln Riley’s voice on Always College Football is any indication, USC’s offense is quietly loading up for something serious in 2025. Riley knows exactly what it’ll take for quarterback Jayden Maiava to thrive: wide receivers, and lots of them.

Last year, USC’s receiver depth was a highlight reel waiting to happen, and this fall, Riley expects more of the same magic. “We return our best two. And those two guys, Makai Lemon and Ja’Kobi Lane, are proven weapons at this level,” Riley said with conviction. “I think with a full offseason, getting the continuity with Jayden [Maiava], I mean, those two guys are as good a pair of receivers as there is in the country, in my opinion. We’ve had the chance to be around a couple of really good ones, but these guys can really play.”

But Lincoln Riley isn’t just banking on flashy catches. He knows a complete offense is what sets the tone. “And the other big piece of it always for a QB is the run game… being able to run the football effectively,” Riley added. “When we’ve been at our best that’s been something we’ve been very, very good at and really lean on.” USC’s weapons are locked and loaded. Now it’s Maiava’s turn to fire.