USC’s Draft Snubs Spark Debate

About this episode

The episode discusses the surprising absence of USC's Jayden Maiava and other players from early draft projections despite their strong performances.

USC’s Jayden Maiava, who threw for over 3,700 yards and 30 touchdowns last season, is shockingly absent from ESPN’s top-five quarterback rankings — despite being a top-five passer nationally. With 15 returning starters, the Trojans are largely ignored in early 2027 draft projections, raising questions about how evaluators are viewing their talent. Other draft-eligible players like Waymond Jordan and Terrell Anderson also missed the cut. But with a full season ahead and Lincoln Riley’s proven quarterback development track record, Maiava could still climb the draft board — especially if he refines his dual-threat game. The Trojans’ lack of early hype may be concerning, but their depth and young talent, including Tanook Hines, could still make waves if they win games and prove their NFL potential. Support the show: Get a discount at https://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN: advertise@thednn.ai This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting. Report issues to feedback@thednn.ai. View sources & latest updates: https://sources.thednn.ai/1ae349db064338c3

Topics covered

• NFL Draft
• USC Trojans
• Quarterback Rankings
• College Football
• Player Development

Keywords

• Jayden Maiava
• NFL Draft
• USC Trojans
• quarterback rankings
• Lincoln Riley
• Waymond Jordan
• Terrell Anderson

Sponsors

Solipillow

Mentioned in this episode

Places: USC

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