Hun School (New Jersey) edge-rusher Luke Wafle is one of the top defensive ends in America in the class of 2026.
As a junior, the 6-foot-6, 245-pound defender finished with 53 tackles, 18 tackles-for-loss and eight sacks, drawing comparisons to Ohio State's Jack Sawyer.
So, it only made sense that Wafle's recruitment, primarily down to Ohio State and USC, would seem to favor the Buckeyes.
Despite that recent Ohio State buzz, USC has surged in the final hours leading up to Wafle's Thursday commitment, and it now appears as though he will become a Trojan.
Both 247Sports and On3 give USC the edge, with historically accurate Steve Wiltfong flipping his Ohio State prediction to the Trojans.
Those rumblings, should they come true, would provide further evidence that Lincoln Riley's program has quickly re-emerged as a national powerhouse recruiting program this offseason.
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Since hiring former Notre Dame recruiting whiz Chad Bowden as general manager in January, the Trojans have climbed to No. 1 nationally in the recruiting rankings, fueled by 29 pledges, and highlighted by IMG Academy (Florida) five-star offensive tackle Keenyi Pepe and Mater Dei (California) five-star tight end Mark Bowman.
Should USC deliver on the "Wafle-to-Los Angeles" hype, the defensive end wouldn't quite reach Pepe/Bowman levels, but he would be a top-five commitment in the class.
The New Jersey prospect is rated the nation's No. 55 overall prospect and No. 6 edge-rusher in 2026.
Here's what 247Sports had to say about Wafle as a prospect:
"Force-based defensive end that’s a tackle collector on the edge. Measured roughly 6-foot-5, 245 pounds spring before senior year and came in with some promising features. Racks up stops when ball carriers near his gaps as he has the strength and power to will his way to wins. Not always the quickest off the snap, but has the awareness to move laterally and beat cutoffs.
"Heavy hands and a diesel engine tend to produce most of his quarterback pressures as he defeats protection by trying to ram his way through it. Spent junior season working out of a three-point stance in a modified four-man front where he was frequently asked to play over offensive tackles. Likely to find most success in a similar alignment on Saturdays as he’s built for box-based football with his toughness and football IQ.
"Might need some time to find his footing, but projects as a potential impact player for a College Football Playoff contender that can do the dirty work."
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