Lincoln Riley’s 2028 recruiting class continues to show promise. Four-star defensive back Derrick Coleman Jr. announced on Aug. 17 to 247’s Collin Kennedy his top nine college choices.

The list included seven West Coast schools, three from California including USC. The other two Golden Gate schools on his list are California and rivals UCLA.

The 5-foot-11, 175-pound Juniper Serra (Gardena, Calif.) player will begin his junior year of high school football this week. Coleman is also the son of former NBA player Derrick Coleman.

He ranks 18 among safeties and it’s the No. 17 player in the state according to 247 Sports.

Over the spring, the then sophomore Coleman began seeing a flood of interest come his way. Now as he narrows his choices, it looks like he is staying firm with the schools that have been consistent with him.

USC Could Have the Upper Hand

Besides narrowing his options, Coleman has also scheduled several game day visits with eight of the nine schools on his top list. North Carolina was notably left off Coleman’s schedule.

He will also visit Big Ten rivals Oregon on Oct. 10, UCLA on Oct. 24, and Washinton on Nov. 21.

But what could favor the Trojans is that Coleman opted to visit USC twice this season.

Coleman will visit USC during their week 0 opener against San José State and will return on Halloween when Ohio State comes into town.

His return for the Ohio State game will be crucial as the Trojans will host the Buckeyes, No. 1 in the preseason AP Top 25 Poll, for the first time since 2008.

The Stock Rise of the 2028 Class

Riley continues to add into his local talent arsenal for the 2028 class. The Trojans already have the commitment from four-star quarterback Trey Wright from Frisco, Texas.

Add to that local talent like Servite’s Allen “Cinco” Kennet V, Palos Verdes’ Jalen Flowers who also has two game day visits, and Santa Margarita’s Jaion “Deuce” Smith. All three prospects will be in the Coliseum for the season opener alongside Coleman.

For the Ohio State matchup, Coleman will join four-stars Jalen Brown, Jordan Hicks, and Major Stokes.

Tustin’s Hayden Koo is another prominent prospect who recently scheduled a game day visit with the Trojans.

The Trojans boasted the top ranked recruiting class in 2026 with the likes of local talents Trent Mosley, Luke Wafle, and Mark Bowmen. Riley’s 2027 class is on the smaller side after such a big group the year prior, which means that the Trojans could be targeting more prospects in the class of 2028 to fill out the team's roster.

How USC fares in the 2028 recruiting class may depend in part on the Trojans’ 2026 season and USC's hope to reach the College Football Playoff for the first time ever. Riley and company will open the season at home against San José State on Aug. 29.

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