Throughout the illustrious history of USC football, the Trojans have been a consistent presence in the NFL Draft, with at least one player being taken every year since 1939. The 2026 draft was no different.

After Biletnikoff Award-winning wide receiver Makai Lemon was taken as the No. 20 overall pick in Thursday’s first round, two more Trojans followed suit in the subsequent rounds over the weekend: Fellow wide receiver Ja’Kobi Lane went to the Baltimore Ravens in the third round, while safety Kamari Ramsey was selected by the Houston Texans in the fifth.

USC’s all-time draft total now sits at 536, behind only Notre Dame for the most of any school in the country. Following the weekend’s draft, several undrafted Trojans signed with NFL squads as priority free agents, and others received invitations to rookie minicamps.

Ja’Kobi Lane — Baltimore Ravens

After a breakout sophomore season in 2024, Lane was a top offensive option for USC in his junior year, sharing the spotlight with Lemon as one of the country’s best wide receiver duos. Known for making a variety of highlight-reel catches for big gains, Lane earned All-Big Ten Third Team honors last season after picking up four touchdowns and 745 yards on 49 receptions.

Lane, the No. 80 pick in the draft, will look to be a top option for Baltimore quarterback Lamar Jackson, alongside wide receivers Zay Flowers and Rashod Bateman. His dynamic ability should provide a boost for a Ravens squad coming off its first losing season since 2021 after three straight playoff appearances.

Kamari Ramsey — Houston Texans

Across two seasons at USC, Ramsey earned back-to-back All-Big Ten Honorable Mention nods, totaling 61 solo tackles and 87 overall. In his redshirt junior season in 2025, Ramsey had 27 tackles in nine games, including a seven-tackle performance in the Trojans’ loss to rival Notre Dame.

As the No. 141 overall selection, Ramsey is the fifth Trojan to be drafted by the Texans in the last three years. He joins a Houston squad fresh off one of its best seasons in team history, in which the Texans went 12-5 and reached the playoffs for the third straight year; however, they failed to advance past the Divisional Round, falling to the eventual AFC champion New England Patriots.

Bishop Fitzgerald — Tennessee Titans

All-American safety Bishop Fitzgerald signed with the Tennessee Titans on Saturday following a breakout campaign in his lone season at USC. As a redshirt senior, Fitzgerald snagged five interceptions — the third most in the Big Ten — including a 39-yard pick-six in the Trojans’ opener against Missouri State University. He also recorded 51 tackles, fourth most among USC players.

Lake McRee — Pittsburgh Steelers

After five years with the Trojans, tight end Lake McRee saved his best season for last, creating enough buzz to earn a contract with the Pittsburgh Steelers. McRee averaged 15 yards per carry on 30 receptions, racking up four touchdowns to end a rough stretch for USC’s tight ends after none recorded touchdowns in the entire 2024 season.

Keeshawn Silver — New Orleans Saints

Defensive tackle Keeshawn Silver is headed to the New Orleans Saints after spending one year at USC. In his redshirt senior season, Silver racked up 20 tackles, including 10 solo and 10 assists, along with a sack in the Trojans’ Alamo Bowl loss to TCU.

DeCarlos Nicholson — Cleveland Browns

Cornerback DeCarlos Nicholson signed with the Cleveland Browns after emerging as one of USC’s top defensive options in two seasons with the team. In 2025, Nicholson recorded 42 overall tackles, adding four passes defended — tied for the most among all Trojans — and an interception against Georgia Southern University.

Eric Gentry — Cincinnati Bengals

After four seasons at USC, 6-foot-6 linebacker Eric Gentry is moving on to the NFL, having signed with the Cincinnati Bengals. Gentry racked up 50 solo tackles and 75 overall as a redshirt senior, both the second most on the roster, and recorded three sacks for a total loss of 15 yards. He also thrived in causing turnovers, forcing five fumbles during the season; no other Trojan forced more than one.

Anthony Lucas — Detroit Lions

Defensive end Anthony Lucas signed with the Detroit Lions after three years at USC. In his senior campaign, Lucas picked up 37 tackles and three sacks after failing to earn a sack in his first two seasons, adding a forced fumble in the Trojans’ come-from-behind victory against Nebraska.

Jaden Richardson — Kansas City Chiefs

Wide receiver Jaden Richardson saw limited playing time in two seasons at USC due to the abundance of talent like Lemon, Lane and freshman standout Tanook Hines, but still received a rookie minicamp invite from the Kansas City Chiefs. In seven games in 2025, Richardson tallied 148 yards on 12 receptions, earning his lone collegiate touchdown on a 21-yard catch in the Alamo Bowl.

DJ Wingfield — Denver Broncos

Offensive lineman DJ Wingfield was invited to the Denver Broncos’ minicamp after being unable to play for USC in 2025 following a lengthy battle with the NCAA regarding eligibility restrictions.

Wingfield, who began his college football career at El Camino Junior College in 2020, was denied a transfer waiver from the NCAA despite having only used three years of eligibility prior to the 2025 season. Before his plea for a preliminary injunction was denied by a district judge, Wingfield was a presumed starter due to his experience starting 12 games for Purdue the season before.

DJ Harvey — Atlanta Falcons

Cornerback DJ Harvey received an invitation to the Atlanta Falcons’ minicamp after seeing little time on the field in his only season at USC, having previously started at San Jose State University before transferring. As a redshirt senior, he recorded seven tackles and two passes defended in eight appearances.

Sam Johnson — Las Vegas Raiders

Punter Sam Johnson earned an invite to the Las Vegas Raiders’ minicamp following a productive redshirt senior season as the Trojans’ main punter. He averaged 42.1 yards per punt on 24 attempts, racking up over 1,000 yards on the season.

Johnson made headlines after USC pulled off a controversial fake punt against Northwestern, in which backup quarterback Sam Huard entered the game wearing Johnson’s No. 80 and threw for an easy first down on fourth-and-long. The drive eventually led to a go-ahead touchdown for the Trojans, who went on to win the game 38-17, but the Big Ten released a statement following the game saying USC should have been penalized for the play.