USC’s Mosley, Wafle Named Among Top 10 Freshmen by ESPN

Two USC freshmen, receiver Trent Mosley and defensive end Luke Wafle, have been named among the top freshmen players in college football, according to ESPN.

In a story by Billy Tucker on espn.com, Wafle was listed at No. 7 and Mosley at No. 9 on a list of the top 40 freshmen in college football. 

USC (7-2) had the No. 1 recruiting class for the 2026 cycle, and Wafle and Mosley were among many in that class that have earned starting roles or significant playing time for coach Lincoln Riley.

Both have been productive in their first season as Men of Troy.

Wafle leads the Trojans with 8.5 tackles for loss and three sacks. He is fourth on the team in tackles with 36.

In the signature win over No. 2 Ohio State, Wafle had three tackles and a tackle for loss. He has recorded five or more tackles in four games this season.

At 6-foot-6, 265 pounds, Wafle has more snaps than any other Power 4 freshman in the country.

On the recruiting trail, Wafle was a 5-star prospect and the No. 1 edge rusher in the country, and was the No. 7 overall recruit, according to 247 Sports.

Wafle had 30 scholarship offers, and chose USC over Florida, Ohio State and Penn State.

Mosley was a top 40 player at his position, according to 247 Sports. He began his USC career with back-to-back games of over 100-yard receiving.

An injury in the Louisiana game forced him to the sideline for the next three games.

With 512 receiving yards and six touchdowns, Mosley leads the team. He came back strong on the road at Penn State with 111 yards and a touchdown.

He followed that up two weeks later with 101 yards and a touchdown in the 30-18 win over Ohio State.

Mosley showed off his play making ability against Ohio State. He caught a pass from quarterback Jayden Maiava and raced 69 yards for a touchdown.

That play sparked the Trojans to an upset over the Buckeyes.

Wafle and Mosley will be counted on by Riley and the team to continue their playmaking ways and maintain their production.

Two of their final three games are against ranked opponents: No. 6 Indiana (8-1) and No. 5 UCLA (8-0).

Indiana’s lone loss this season came against Ohio State on Oct. 17. It was their first loss since a loss to Notre Dame in the 2024 College Football Playoff.

Wafle and Mosley have the Trojans playing at an elite level with confidence.

They are peaking at the right time and could shake up the playoffs if they finish 10-2 for the regular season, with three wins over ranked teams.

First, they have to get by Indiana on Nov. 14.