USC 'Recruiting Hard' for No. 3 QB Josiah Boyd Amid Growing Competition

The USC Trojans have continued to show interest in class of 2028 quarterback Josiah Boyd. Standing at 6-foot-4 and weighing 175 pounds, he is a four-star recruit, the No. 3 quarterback and the No. 40 player in the nation, per Rivals Industry Rankings.

He's coming off an impressive sophomore season at Vista del Lago High School, throwing for 2,620 yards, 19 touchdowns, three interceptions and a 111.2 quarterback rating. He also rushed for 462 yards and nine touchdowns on 133 carries.

Out of Moreno Valley, California, the Trojans are looking to keep the signal caller in-state. In fact, Rivals' Steve Wiltfong reports that USC quarterback coach Luke Huard has even "stopped by" Boyd's high school.

Along with the quarterback having made his way to watch a few of USC's spring practices, the team is making a strong impression. In the same article, Boyd makes it clear that the Trojans are right in the mix.

"I would say USC is recruiting hard," he said. "(Huard) popped up during one of my school days, he got me on the board and he was filling me in on how they run their offense. My best interest right now is USC... It's USC. It's great there. They have a lot of great coaches there, for sure a place you can develop and not far from home so it's been great."

However, USC isn't the only program in this battle. Wiltfong wrote that the LSU Tigers, Kentucky Wildcats, and Alabama Crimson Tide are "expected to stop by," while Boyd also took recent visits with the Oregon State Beavers and Oregon Ducks.

The Trojans are aiming to get out in front early, though, and make Boyd a key piece to their 2028 cycle. So far, Lincoln Riley and his staff have already landed a commitment from four-star wide receiver Roye Oliver.

Related: Ohio State Enters Race for Nation's No. 4 Quarterback Recruit

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This story was originally published April 30, 2026 at 12:02 PM.