This past offseason, the USC Trojans had a couple of players taken in the first few rounds of the 2026 NFL Draft. Two of those Trojans will make an impact, while Kamari Ramsey will, at the bare minimum, be featured on special teams. The Trojans could have another batch of guys this year who will be ready to compete in the NFL in 2027. Some players benefited from a good Game 1 performance against San Jose State, while others have work to do to raise their draft stock.
Here's my USC Trojan NFL draft stock update following Week 0:
Jayden Maiava
Jayden Maiava kicked off the season with an impressive showing. There is clear talent on the Trojans' offense, but how things will pan out in the end is unclear. Having Jayden Maiava step up and lead this young group will bode
well for his draft stock. He is a talented quarterback. He has great arm strength and special arm talent. He can facilitate a pro-style offense. For a team that is in the back end of the first round of the draft or early second round, Jayden Maiava should be their target. Maiava can play himself into being higher in the quarterback prospect rankings with a Heisman-level season. With how things currently stand, I think Maiava is a late 1st-round draft pick, early 2nd-round pick.
Waymond Jordan
Waymond Jordan is a physical back who has some jets on him every now and then. He is a back who can punish defenses for 3 straight downs. He is the old-school type of back, and there is a real reason to compare him to Ashton Jeanty. If he was healthy last season, I think he would have gone to the draft. Even with the shared workload this year, I think he will be productive. I see him at best being a 3rd-round draft pick. Him not having a lot of tread on his tires could bode well for him. Especially if he finishes this season healthy.
Elijah Paige
He has the size and makeup to be an NFL team's franchise left tackle. Paige is one of the most important players on the Trojans' offense. When healthy, he is a difference-maker. He is a good athlete, and he keeps Maiava upright consistently. With all his intangibles, he can be a 1st-round pick with a great season this year. As things stand right now, I see him right in that early Day 2 spot.
Alex VanSumeren
The Michigan State Spartan transfer Alex VanSumeren is currently slated as more of a draft sleeper than a player who is a guarantee to hear his name called. If he can get more production as a pass rusher, he has real day 2 upside. If he continues to be a force stopping the run and gets around 2 sacks, his value will slide from the 5th-7th round. VanSumeren could be a really big steal for a well-run organization. He will need to get things going and be dominant these next few weeks if he wants to change his fortune. If the draft was tomorrow, he would be getting looked at in the 7th round.
Kam Crawford
Game 1 was not a good start to the season for Kam Crawford. Crawford has real size at the defensive end position. 6-foot-5 and 255 lbs is what Crawford currently is. If he can match that prototype size with more production, he will hear his name called on day 2. With more performances like this past week, he will be headed for being a UDFA. Last season, he took a big step forward and finished the season with 5.5 sacks. Crawford needs another jump for him to elevate his draft stock any further than day 2. The expectations are high for Crawford, and hopefully this week he finds his rhythm.
Jontez Williams
If he can be what he was in 2024, he has a shot at being selected in the 2-3rd round. With the recent drafts, the Texans would be sprinting to the phone to select him. He has elite ball skills and versatility. His skill set is extremely valuable to NFL teams. With his showing in Game 1, if that is an indication of how the season will go, he will be more of a Day 3 guy.
Christian Pierce
Christian Pierce, in his first game, tallied 6 tackles total. He is a player who can make plays in the back end and fits the mold of the Trojan safety who has gone on to make it to the next level. He is a vocal veteran for the defense. He just needs to refine some aspects of his game to really reach his ceiling. Right now, he is a guy who falls under the category of a draft sleeper. He is a 7th-round prospect. If he has a breakout season, he could raise his ceiling to being an early day-3 guy.
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This article originally appeared on Trojans Wire: USC football NFL draft stock breakdown after Game 1
