LOS ANGELES -- With the USC football season about to kick off on Saturday, August 30, we got our first look at the official depth chart ahead of USC's week one matchup against Missouri State.
🚨USC’s 2025 Official Depth Chart 👀 pic.twitter.com/1qHgJLuCNU
— Trojan Football ✌️ ᶠᵃⁿ (@TrojanFBx) August 28, 2025
The depth chart is what you expect after an offseason that included revamping on all sides of the football, especially the defense, with the signings of linebacker Eric Gentry, defensive lineman Jahkeem Stewart, and safety Kamari Ramsey. Defensive end Kameryn Fountain was also seen at the top of the defensive end chart heading into his sophomore season.
Some notable names not listed as starters on the defensive side include Kentucky defensive tackle transfer Keyshawn Silver, Georgia defensive tackle transfer Jamaal Jarrett, and freshman defensive tackle Jahkeem Stewart. All three are listed in the depth chart. Still, USC will run with a starting defensive line that includes Fountain, defensive tackles Devan Thompkins and Jide Abasiri, and defensive end Anthony Lucas.
In terms of the offensive front, true freshman wide receiver Tanook Hines will start alongside Ja’Kobi Lane and Makai Lemon as the number three on the receiver depth chart. Hines, a four-star wide receiver out of Dekaney High School in Houston, Texas, is set to make his USC debut.
USC starting quarterback Jayden Maiava is looking to make strides during his first year as a full-time starter, and he'll do that with the assistance of newly announced starting center Kilian O'Connor, playmaking receivers in Hines, Lemon, and Lane, but also with a deep running back room. Junior Waymond Jordan is the confirmed starter at running back, the 2024 NJCAA Division I Football Offensive Player of the Year, was always on the mind of USC head coach Lincoln Riley to be a starter.
“We’ve obviously seen Waymond carry the ball a lot," Riley said after Tuesday's practice. He’s had a lot of college carries, so I think there’s a confidence there. And that, combined with what we saw on the practice field, we felt like he was the most steady guy.”
