Four-star 2026 linebacker will not go to USC

Shadarius Toodle, a four-star linebacker from Cottage Hill Christian Academy in Louisiana, has named his top 10 schools. The USC Trojans, who were projected to be in contention, did not make the cut. Toodle’s finalists are Auburn, Louisville, Michigan, Ohio State, Texas A&M, LSU, Miami, Ole Miss, and South Carolina.

“These schools made my top 10 because of how they kept in contact with me,” Toodle told On3’s Chad Simmons. “Relationships are important to me and when I go on these visits, my interaction with coaches is something I look for.”

Toodle is currently ranked as the No. 64 player in the nation, the No. 4 player in Alabama in his class, and the fifth-ranked linebacker in the country by the 247Sports Composite rankings.

The Trojans have recently added some wide receivers to their future roster on the recruiting trail, but what they really need is more defensive help as they enter the Big Ten Conference and its smashmouth style of play. If they want to get closer to national championship contention, fortifying their front seven is crucial.