USC Trojans Or Texas A&M Aggies To Land Five-Star Recruit Brandon Arrington?

The USC Trojans and Lincoln Riley are actively recruiting 5-star athlete Brandon Arrington. The Texas A&M Aggies and coach Mike Elko are the current front runners for Arrington's commitment.

2026 five-star athlete Brandon Arrington / @brandon2jubie / Instagram / @brandon2jubie / Instagram

When looking ahead to the class of 2026, the USC Trojans are pushing for some of the top recruits. 2026 five-star athlete Brandon Arrington is a current target of USC coach Lincoln Riley and the Trojans.

Arrington plays for Mount Miguel (Calif.) and is a versatile athlete. Per the On3 Industry Rankings, Arrington is the No. 8 player in the nation, the No. 1 Athlete, and the No. 2 player in California. Though listed as an athlete, Arrington is a strong defensive back. Recruiting in-state athletes is crucial for Riley and the Trojans.

Arrington is a speedy player, as he spent time running track. This has helped him stand out as a receiver, punt returner, and defensive back in high school. Arrington spoke about how his speed is why football coaches love him.

2026 five-star athlete Brandon Arrington / @brandon2jubie / Instagram / @brandon2jubie / Instagram

“I feel like my track times benefit me for getting these big offers because colleges love speed,” Arrington told On3.

Arrington has had two unofficial visits with the USC Trojans. One was in April; the other was on Nov. 16, when USC defeated the Nebraska Cornhuskers 28-20. Originally, there was the belief that Arrington would announce his commitment in the fall, but he will likely now announce it in the spring.

The biggest competition in the recruiting process will be the Texas A&M Aggies. Arrington visited Texas A&M multiple times throughout the season. Aggies coach Mike Elko is working hard to recruit the five-star athlete.

One way for USC to boost their chances for Arrington is in the Las Vegas Bowl. USC will face Texas A&M and the winning team could sway Arrington's decision. There has been a lot of talk surrounding the Trojans between the transfer portal and Riley’s career there. If USC overcomes those conversations and wins, it could help their chances of landing the big recruit. 

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On3’s Chad Simmons still predicts Arrington to commit to the Texas A&M Aggies but visiting USC the week of a big win started to change opinions. After the visit, Arrington spoke to On3 about how well it went.

“I had a great experience at USC,” Arrington said. “It was a great game and I had a great time with the players and the coaches. The atmosphere was fun. The brand, the people, the DJ’s – Everything was fun.”

Arrington went on to discuss his favorite parts of the game.

“The biggest highlights were the incredible catch by Kyron Hudson, the interception [by Greedy Vance] to end the game and the touchdown by Zach Branch,” Arrington said.

2026 five-star athlete Brandon Arrington / @brandon2jubie / Instagram / @brandon2jubie / Instagram

USC will hope the number of transfers has not pushed Arrington away from USC. With Hudson and Branch transferring out, it could have an effect, and the Trojans will need to work hard to keep him interested. 

USC defensive backs coach Doug Belk has been a big part of the recruiting process. He has worked hard bringing in athletes from Southern California. Belk has been the one in communication with Arrington. Though Arrington only visited once in the fall, he is planning to visit USC again in the winter.

While Arrington has been open that the Texas A&M Aggies are his top choice. Having the two schools face off in a bowl game may be a major deciding factor in Arrington’s decision. The USC Trojans will kick off against the Texas A&M Aggies on Dec. 27 at 7:30 p.m. PT.

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