From the moment that freshman wide receiver Trent Mosley’s name was listed on the official depth chart for USC football’s (2-0) home opener against San Jose State University (1-1) during Week 0, it was clear he was going to be a star.

His raw athletic ability and mindset on the field led him to where he is today as one of college football’s top receivers in terms of yards to start the year.

“Putting your head down and working, trying to gain the trust of not only coaches, but teammates around you and [redshirt senior quarterback] Jayden [Maiava] to trust to give you the ball — working and showing them what you came here to do,” Mosley said in a press conference Tuesday.

Becoming an immediate impact on a team is no stranger to Mosley, as his list of high school accolades runs off the page.

Mosley was named to the 2024 All-Trinity League First Team and was rated as the No. 24 player in California by ESPN in 2026. Right before his arrival at USC, Mosley competed in the 2026 Navy All-American Bowl.

In his final year of high school, Mosley helped his team win a CIF Southern Section Division I Championship.

Who was his head coach? None other than former USC quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Carson Palmer.

It’s safe to say that Mosley’s no stranger to the Trojan traditions.

At Santa Margarita Catholic High School, he set a new school record his senior year with 217 career receptions. He also added 831 yards in what was a great senior season.

Fresh off his stellar senior season, Mosley graduated high school early and came to USC in Spring 2026. A key part of the No. 1 freshman recruiting class, it was clear the future of USC football was in good hands.

“He’s got a pretty strong ability to be very focused and in the present, whether it’s a meeting, a walk-through, a practice, he just does not make very many mental mistakes,” Head Coach Lincoln Riley said in a press conference Thursday.

His upbringing had a large hand in that, despite the likely tension along the way. Mosley’s father, Emmett Mosley Sr., was a wide receiver and running back for Notre Dame from 1993 to 1996. His mom, Cindy Mosley, on the other hand, played for the Fighting Irish on their soccer team and won the 1996 MAC Hermann Trophy — college soccer’s oldest and most prestigious award.

While Mosley was pursued by his parents’ school and another rival, UCLA, the highly touted recruit still decided on USC.

Mosley’s older sister Jalyn Mosley played soccer at Iowa, and his older brother, Emmett Mosley V, is currently one of the top wide receivers at Texas.

It’s safe to say athletic excellence runs in the Mosley family and has been put on display by Trent.

In his debut against San Jose State, Mosley became the first USC freshman to go over 100 receiving yards in a collegiate debut since 2014. The last freshman to do so was JuJu Smith-Schuster against Fresno State University.

Mosley’s performance in the Fresno State game was just short of how he performed in the season-opener against San Jose State by a centimeter.

Mosley caught 118 yards across seven receptions in his Trojan debut. In his second game, he received 104 yards on just four receptions, including a 68-yard touchdown catch. In the Fresno State game, Mosley notched two touchdowns, one more than in his debut.

In a video posted on USC football’s social media page, Maiava, referring to Mosley’s touchdown in the match against Fresno State, said, “that boy was too wide open; I couldn’t miss.”

Mosley, Maiava and the Trojans take on the University of Louisiana at Lafayette (1-0) Saturday at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum at 8 p.m.