USC’s Jayden Maiava gets eye-opening Joel Klatt ranking for 2026 season

As USC head coach Lincoln Riley enters his fifth season with the program, expectations for a national championship are extremely high for the Trojans. A significant amount of that pressure falls on quarterback Jayden Maiava, who is generating considerable Heisman Trophy buzz as he approaches his redshirt senior year.

Riley recently made an eye-opening statement to Wilson Alexander of On3, asserting that Maiava has made more progress over the last two years than any quarterback he can remember coaching. After transferring from UNLV and showing great potential in his early appearances, Maiava has officially established himself as the focal point of the Trojans’ high-powered offense.

This impressive development has attracted the attention of prominent national media analysts. A recent report by On3 revealed that FOX Sports’ Joel Klatt named his anticipated Top 10 quarterbacks heading into the 2026 college football season, placing Maiava at No. 7 overall.

Now entering his second consecutive season leading Riley’s offensive scheme, the Trojan signal-caller is coming off a strong campaign in which he threw for 3,711 yards, 24 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions while completing 65.8% of his passes.

Klatt noted that, although Maiava has made significant improvements since his underclassman years, his statistical output will need to rise further if USC aims to secure a coveted spot in the expanded College Football Playoff.

His detailed evaluation emphasizes a college football landscape that has been heavily reshaped by high-profile transfers. Maiava stands out on the list, ranked just ahead of other notable quarterbacks, including Arizona State transfer Sam Leavitt at LSU (No. 10), former TCU standout Josh Hoover at Indiana (No. 9), and Duke transfer Darian Mensah at Miami (No. 8).

With a seasoned offensive line and a reliable backfield, Maiava’s top-tier placement in Klatt’s rankings highlights the immense expectations building in Los Angeles as the Trojans prepare for a historic run this fall.

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