USC has struck gold with a priority target out of the Midwest.

That’s because five-star cornerback Elbert Hill announced on Friday that he has committed to the Trojans. Hill picked USC over Alabama, Ohio State and Oregon. The elite cornerback from Buckeye Country is a very welcomed addition to the Trojans’ No. 1 recruiting class.

“It’s a great place with great people around it,” Hill told Rivals.

Hill is the 26th commitment of the 2026 class for the Trojans that seems to be adding elite talent daily. USC is off to a very hot start in the 2026 class before we even hit summer official visits. Securing Hill’s verbal commitment now allows the program to chase even more five and four-star talent to push the class to even greater heights.

The Ohio native is now the cherry on top of an already loaded defensive back haul. He joins four-stars Brandon Lockhart, Madden Riordan and RJ Sermons plus three-star Josh Holland in the class.

It also can’t be said enough how big of a recruiting win this is for USC. Leaving Alabama out of it, beating Oregon and Ohio State head-to-head for an elite recruit is a major win for coach Lincoln Riley and his staff. The Trojans are showing they are back on the recruiting trail.

Hill also told Rivals what he’s looking forward to about being a Trojan.

“Really just going to California and making a name for myself,” Hill said.

Hill is a dynamic playmaker that could legitimately be a star on either side of the ball in college. He’s electric with the ball in his hands on offense and his high school team uses his skill set in a variety of ways to score points. But he projects best as a potential shut-down cornerback which is why we’ve got him as a five-star.

Hill is not the biggest cornerback you’ll find standing at 5-foot-10, 161-pounds but he’s extremely athletic and can jump with the best of them. The Ohio native is smooth in and out of his backpedal and can flip his hips with ease. His offensive skills show when it's time to make a play on the ball as well. Hill also shows good technique playing press man coverage at a young age.