Madden Riordan commits to USC; 2026 class climbs to No. 1 nationally

Class of 2026 Sierra Canyon (California) cornerback Madden Riordan could barely contain his excitement when he picked up a scholarship offer from the USC Trojans last month.

"(It's a) dream come true," he told SBLive Sports. "It means everything. USC is my dream school. My dad is a huge USC fan and I was ecstatic and overwhelmed with emotion." 

On Sunday, 5-foot-11, 160-pound defensive back announced his commitment to USC, ending his process early thanks to the in-state offer:

In truth, Riordan actually committed last week, but decided to wait a week before making his decision public.

"I called coach Donte (Williams) and told him I was ready to be a Trojan," he said. "He was excited for me and my family and excited I was a Trojan. (Last week) I talked to coach (Lincoln) Riley and he was happy. I was ready and happy we could get this 2026 class to the number one ranked class in the country."

That's exactly what Riordan's commitment does, as USC now holds the nation's No. 1 2026 class. 

Although it's early, there's some real juice behind the group, headlined by Carrollton five-star quarterback Julian Lewis, the nation's No. 1 overall prospect, and Loyola (California) five-star recruit Brandon Lockhart, the No. 1 cornerback in the country.

For Riordan, the chance to play alongside Lockhart was also a bonus.

They already share a defensive backfield in 7-on-7 play.

"Brandon and I are great friends," he said. "We play on the same 7-on-7 team. That’s my guy. I had a feeling (for sure), and to continue playing with him would be amazing. I also grew up playing with another 2026 USC commit, Tron [Ja'Myron] Baker."

Riordan is not yet rated by the recruiting services - it's early for 2026 rankings - but he chose USC over offers from Arizona, Cal, Colorado, Miami and several others. 

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