Rivals national recruiting analyst Greg Smith has three predictions on a four-star commitment for Minnesota, USC's finish to the 2026 cycle and a big win for James Franklin and Penn State.
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1. JAYDEN MCGREGORY COMMITS TO MINNESOTA
Des Moines (Iowa) Valley four-star safety Jayden McGregory released a top eight that included Georgia, Kansas, Kansas State, Louisville, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota and Missouri. He intends to take visits to the programs but I’ve got the Gophers with a commanding lead heading into the spring.
McGregory has made four visits to Minnesota and has already locked in an official visit for the weekend of May 30. I had McGregory as a must-get prospect for the Gophers in this cycle. The relationships he’s built at the school and the team’s history of development on defense will help get it to the finish line.
2. USC FINISHES WITH A TOP-FIVE CLASS.
One of the storylines of the offseason that hasn’t received enough attention is how much USC has beefed up its off-field recruiting staff. It’s not something that typically gets a lot of attention but in today’s college football it matters more than ever who is running the operation beyond the coaching staff.
The Trojans added Chad Bowden, Dre Brown and Max Steinecker plus others to its now loaded front office. That has paid immediate dividends for the program. The team just flipped four-star quarterback Jonas Williams from Oregon. Williams is as talented as any quarterback in the 2026 class and has the potential to be a cornerstone of the program.
What is also encouraging is that USC added a commitment from four-star defensive end Simote Katoanga. He’s one of the better defensive linemen in California this cycle and if the Trojans are going to ever return to form they must do a better job recruiting in state.
If the early trends continue we could see USC re-emerge as a powerhouse on the recruiting trail. USC finished No. 7 in 2023 which was the highest finish since 2020. I see the team beating that mark in the 2026 cycle.
3. PENN STATE BEATS OHIO STATE THIS SEASON.
Penn State will be one of the favorites to win the national championship this upcoming season. The Nittany Lions return a lot of key starters including quarterback Drew Allar who is as polarizing as he is talented. We’ll have another round of “Can James Franklin win the big one?” questions ahead of the Nov. 1 date with the Buckeyes in Columbus.
Despite being 1-10 against the Buckeyes during his time at Penn State, this is the year he gets over the hump. Penn State has the better coaching staff now after swiping defensive coordinator Jim Knowles from Ohio State. This game could determine the eventual Big Ten champion and a bye in the College Football Playoff. I’ve got Penn State going to Columbus and taking down the Buckeyes.
