USC Trojans DL Coach Eric Henderson Recruiting 4-Star Bryce Perry Wright

After a successful start to the year for USC's defense, recruits are taking notice of the strides that the Trojans have taken.

2026 Buford defensive lineman Bryce Perry-Wright / Bryce Perry-Wright via Twitter/X

After an impressive start to the season from the USC Trojans' defense, prospects around the country are taking notice.

Landing a commitment from one of the top defensive lineman in the state of Utah, Viliami Moala, last week, Southern Cal seems to the be in contention for another elite defensive recruit.

Buford (GA) star defensive lineman Bryce Perry-Wright recently detailed his interest in USC, citing the group's defensive turnaround and position coach Eric Henderson's track record of development.

"Coach Henny [is] the boy. I be talking to him like every day. [He's] showing the love, so I just appreciate it," Perry-Wright told 247Sports. "Coach Henny's my guy, like he a real dude. He's taught some greats —and all them boys. He a dog. He made Aaron Donald the highest paid d-tackle, so he know what he's doing."

Sep 7, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; USC Trojans defensive end Anthony Lucas (6) attempts to sack Utah State Aggies quarterback Bryson Barnes (16) during the second quarter at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. / Jonathan Hui-Imagn Images

Perry-Wright has high-upside athletic traits and could develop into a great defensive lineman at the next level under Henderson's tutelage. Listed at 6-3 260 pounds, the Peach State standout is rated the No. 37 overall prospect and No. 3 defensive lineman in the 2026 cycle, according to Rivals.

Perry-Wright's talents were on full display at the FBU Freshman All-American Game, where the junior edge rusher won Defensive MVP for his efforts.

While Henderson has built a strong relationship with Perry-Wright, the Trojans are still in a battle with many of the nation's top programs to land the coveted prospect. Perry-Wright told 247Sports he hopes to visit Alabama, Georgia, Miami, Texas, Texas A&M and Auburn, in addition to USC, this season. v

"(I want to) just learn like, 'Is this home for me?' I want to learn about the program," Perry-Wright told 247Sports. "I want to see how it's developed, all the greats they've developed, so I just want to see a lot of those things to help me get better."

Jun 14, 2023; Thousand Oaks, CA, USA; Los Angeles Rams defensive line run game coordinator coach Eric Henderson during minicamp at Cal Lutheran University. / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

If D'Anton Lynn and company are able to get Perry-Wright on campus, there is a much better chance USC's staff will be able to earn a commitment from the talented defender, especially if the Trojans continue to perform at a high level.

Perry-Wright is teammates at Buford with USC pledge Jadon Perlotte, a 4-star linebacker in the 2025 recruiting class. With Perlotte already on board, the senior should be able to help the Trojans' staff recruit Perry-Wright from within the Wolves' locker room.

If USC Trojans coach Lincoln Riley are eventually able to win the recruiting battle for Perry-Wright, he would become the seventh pledge in Trojans' recruiting class, joining Gainesville (GA) linebacker Xavier Griffin, Loyola (CA) cornerback Brandon Lockhart, Los Alamitos (CA) wide receiver Ja'Myron Baker, St. John Bosco (CA) athlete Joshua Holland, Sierra Canyon (CA) Madden Riordan and Moala.

The Trojans currently boast the No. 7 overall class in the 2026 recruiting cycle, according to On3.

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