The USC Trojans’ 2026 recruiting momentum continued to surge as four-star cornerback Peyton Dyer of Duluth High School in Atlanta, Georgia, officially committed to the Trojans, giving Lincoln Riley and his staff yet another top-tier addition to what is currently the No. 1-ranked class in the On3 Industry Team Recruiting Rankings.
Dyer, a 6-foot-1, 190-pound defensive back with elite versatility and physical tools, chose the Trojans over a stacked list of national contenders, including Georgia, Penn State, and South Carolina. His commitment, announced during an official visit to Los Angeles, marks USC’s 28th pledge in the 2026 cycle.
“Trojan family, I’m here—now that I’m a part of the real USC,” Dyer said via his agent Aaron Garland to On3. “I am ready to work and build something special!”
Dyer, who is ranked as the No. 21 cornerback and No. 198 overall prospect in the nation by On3, adds serious talent to a USC secondary group already viewed as one of the best in the country. His junior season numbers back that up: 70 tackles, one interception, and two forced fumbles, showcasing his physicality and football instincts.
USC cornerbacks coach Doug Belk played a central role in landing Dyer, whose blend of athleticism and positional flexibility (he’s also played wide receiver) makes him a strong fit for defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn’s versatile, movement-based scheme. The Trojans plan to cross-train several of their DB commits between corner and safety roles.
A National Recruitment With a West Coast Ending
Dyer’s recruitment has been anything but straightforward. He originally committed to South Carolina in November 2024 but reopened his recruitment in April 2025 due to communication issues with the Gamecocks’ staff. Since then, schools like Georgia, Ohio State, Tennessee, and USC jumped into the mix.
A key moment came in April, when Dyer visited USC for a spring practice and walked away impressed.
“I wasn’t expecting to like USC as much as I did,” Dyer told On3’s Chad Simmons. “The culture and the people made it feel like home.”
He followed up with an official visit in June, and the Trojans quickly surged to the front of the race. Georgia was still seen as a serious contender—Dyer even described a May 2025 visit to Athens as one that made him feel “at home”—but USC ultimately pulled ahead. On3’s Steve Wiltfong logged a prediction in favor of the Trojans just before Dyer made it official, and USC’s Recruiting Prediction Machine gave them an 88.1% chance of landing him.
USC Trojans’ Secondary Haul Continues to Shine With Peyton Dyer
Dyer becomes the third blue-chip cornerback in USC’s class, joining Elbert Hill—the No. 10 corner and top-5 player in Ohio—and Brandon Lockhart, an underrated but dynamic playmaker who committed in late 2023.
Even after the reclassification of four-star RJ Sermons to the 2025 class, USC’s secondary haul remains a cornerstone of the 2026 cycle. In total, the Trojans now have four defensive backs committed, and several others being recruited to play hybrid roles.
“We’re going to take the most high school kids this place has ever taken this year,” said USC general manager Chad Bowden. “I truly believe a culture can be built through recruiting—especially from high school.”
USC’s focus on building through prep talent has been a clear theme of this class. The Trojans recently landed five-star tight end Mark Bowman, and are strongly in the mix for elite linebacker Talanoa Ili and blue-chip receivers Ethan “Boobie” Feaster and Jalen Lott.
While Oregon and LSU have had strong moments, USC has clearly dominated the recruiting cycle’s headlines—and with Dyer now officially a Trojan, the gap between the Trojans and the rest of the country just widened a little more.