USC Trojans' Elijah Hughes Enters Transfer Portal: 18 Outgoing USC Transfers

USC Trojans coach Lincoln Riley is losing another player to the NCAA transfer portal. USC Trojans defensive lineman Elijah Hughes officially entered the portal on Dec. 17 with two years of eligibility remaining.

USC Trojans defensive lineman Elijah Hughes (56) / elijah._hughes / elijah._hughes

The USC Trojans have lost many players since the NCAA transfer portal opened on Dec. 9. USC sophomore defensive lineman, Elijah Hughes is another player to enter the transfer portal. 

Hughes committed to the USC Trojans in Dec. 2022 as a three-star defensive lineman from Arlington (Va.). Hughes was the No. 110 lineman in the class of 2023, per the On3 industry rankings. 

Hughes saw action in eight games as a true freshman in 2023. The defensive lineman played in just 15 games over two seasons with the Trojans. Hughes recorded 12 tackles, three tackles for loss, and 1.5 sacks. With USC needing defensive line help, Hughes could have seen more game action in 2025, but he will be playing elsewhere next season.

USC Trojans defensive lineman Elijah Hughes (56) / elijah._hughes / elijah._hughes

Hughes entered the portal on Dec. 17. He is ranked as the No. 108 defensive lineman in the portal. He has two years of eligibility remaining. Per On3, Hughes entered the portal with a “do not contact” tag. With this tag, Hughes likely knows where he wants to play in 2025. 

One team to watch for is the Virginia Tech Hokies, who heavily recruited Hughes before his USC commitment. He is a Virginia native and he may prefer to return to his home state. That could also make the Virginia Cavaliers a destination. The UCF Knights are another option for Hughes. The Knights hired Alex Grinch to be their defensive coordinator. Grinch was USC’s defensive coordinator when Hughes was a true freshman.

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Though he has not had a ton of playing time, Hughes is a hard worker who does what is asked of him. As a true freshman, Hughes was underweight for a defensive lineman and worked to gain weight ahead of the 2024 season.

Hughes is one of 17 USC Trojans to officially enter the transfer portal this offseason. The defensive line was hit especially hard, losing both starters and depth pieces. When talking about the number of players leaving, USC coach Lincoln Riley explained that it is the landscape of college football now.

Nov 16, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley watches game action against the Nebraska Cornhuskers during the second half at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images / Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

"We're a college model that's becoming a professional model," Riley said in regard to all of the departures. "I know some people don't want to say that but it's here. It is what it is. The reality is there's just some guys that you either can't or (are) not going to pay what they want. . . . If your value doesn't match the money, then it's not going to go well much longer. It's not going to further. There's a cutthroat part of that that's just part of being a professional organization."

Between NIL and players not having to sit out a year when transferring, more athletes than ever have been entering the portal. Hughes joins USC transfer defensive linemen, Bear Alexander, Gavin Meyer, Nate Clifton, Sam Greene, and DJ Peevy. 

USC received four commitments along the defensive line from the class of 2025, including five-star lineman Jahkeem Stewart. The Trojans also received commitments from three-star defensive linemen Floyd Boucard, Gus Cordova, Nela Tupou, and Cash Jacobsen. Riley and the USC staff must continue to work hard to bring in linemen through the portal.

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