The recruiting trail can get risky if you push too hard—but right now, Lincoln Riley and USC are riding high. With momentum on their side and the No. 1 class in the 2026 cycle, the Trojans are in a great spot to land more top talent. One name to watch? Luke Wafle. The 4-star EDGE prospect could be their next big get. USC already has 29 commits, and Riley’s staff is making a serious push for Wafle. All signs out of LA hint that they’re close to sealing the deal.What makes this particularly spicy is the backup plan now surfacing in Texas. Luke Wafle has a final official visit scheduled in Austin this weekend, but many around the scene are questioning whether that trip will even happen. The 6’6″, 250-pounder has had the opportunity to visit Horns four times unofficially now. He has met with Texas coach Steve Sarkisian, edge coach LaAllan Clark, and several other figures within the program. But the Trojans aren’t just lurking; they appear to be leading.“It looks certainly like Luke Wafle could be the next domino to fall,” said Ryan Dyrud of USC LAFB. His source is USCJ of the ‘Lost In Tha Sauce’ podcast, whom Dyrud finds credible given his ties to families and teams. “He put out a crystal ball prediction that Luke Wafle would end up at USC…I take actually a lot of stock in him saying that,” he added.“USC may now be the leader for Luke Wafle when originally it looked like Penn State, Ohio State, Texas were all kind of leaders.” That’s a serious shift, especially considering how Wafle had been trending early in the cycle. It wasn’t just smoke either. USC pulled a veteran move by inviting Wafle as the only uncommitted player on an official visit surrounded by eight Trojan commits. “You’re kind of letting your commits do the work for you,” the analyst added.“All the commits, the culture that we see in this ‘26 class being built now—they’re able to surround themselves around Wafle and say, ‘Hey, dude, you got to be a part of this. Like, look what we’re building. This is special.’” The visit appears to have left a lasting impression. Luke Wafle had a blast in SoCal, and while his official visit to UT still stands for now, there’s growing buzz that he may cancel. Why? Simple: USC has a policy—once a player commits, no more visits. If news breaks soon that Wafle won’t be flying out to Austin, Trojan fans can take that as a major hint.Even more telling? Trenton Henderson, a five-star EDGE who was scheduled to visit USC this weekend, pulled the plug on his trip. Not long after, Henderson announced an official visit to Texas instead. Connect the dots and a picture forms—either Wafle gave a silent verbal to USC, prompting the staff to pivot, or the Trojans are confident enough in his lean that they’re no longer courting Henderson as hard.“But that either Luke Wafle did indeed give a verbal to USC, and so USC said to Trenton Henderson, ‘Hey, we just filled the last spot. We are moving forward. Go ahead. Best of luck in your recruiting.’ If it wasn’t quite to that level yet, it still makes me believe that USC feels very strongly about where they stand with Luke Wafle,” Ryan Dyrud said in a speculative tone. I will not be taking my official visit to USC this weekend.— Trenton Henderson 5 Edge (@THenderson26) June 16, 2025All of this movement is wild considering that just a few months ago, Luke Wafle wasn’t even on USC’s radar. But once the Trojans zoomed in on EDGE talent for the next cycle, everything changed. Both Coach Eric Henderson and Shaun Nua visited Wafle, and he made an unofficial trip to L.A. in April. That kicked off the courtship. Since then, USC has rocketed up his board, thanks to both strategic planning and the sheer strength of their culture pitch.Wafle, currently ranked No. 6 EDGE by 247Sports’ Andrew Ivins, has a skill set tailor-made for physical football. “Not always the quickest off the snap, but has the awareness to move laterally and beat cutoffs,” Ivins said. “Likely to find most success in a similar alignment on Saturdays as he’s built for box-based football with his toughness and football IQ. Might need some time to find his footing, but projects as a potential impact player for a College Football Playoff contender that can do the dirty work.”Why Luke Wafle’s USC buzz is heating upWhen your final list includes Penn State, Texas, Florida, Ohio State, and USC, you know you’re dealing with a baller in the trenches. It’s safe to say Luke Wafle has made himself a premium target among the elites, and the buzz is only growing louder around his potential landing spot in Los Angeles.Wafle recently made a visit to USC, and let’s just say—Trojan fans had reason to smile. His social media lit up with good vibes, photos, and interactions that screamed “fit.” It wasn’t just the coaching staff rolling out the red carpet—it was the commits too. This ’26 class is stacking up fast, and there’s a sense that top talent attracts top talent. As the saying goes: real recognizes real.One commitment that could quietly shift the tide? Talanoa Ili. There’s chatter that his recent pledge might just tip the scale for Wafle to follow. Nothing is confirmed yet, but it has the feel of a domino setup waiting to fall. Recruiting insider Steve Wiltfong summed it up best: “I wouldn’t sleep on the Trojans moving forward with Wafle.” And with the momentum USC is building, it might just be a matter of when—not if—Wafle puts on that Cardinal and Gold.The post USC Target Luke Wafle’s CFB Destination Nearly Confirmed as Steve Sarkisian’s Backup Plan Surfaces appeared first on EssentiallySports.