ESPN Analyst Ranks USC’s Wide Receivers in the Nation’s Top 10 Despite Drafted Stars

The USC Trojans may have lost their top two playmakers from 2025 to the NFL Draft, but a college football analyst and broadcaster believes they’ll be reloading, not rebuilding.

Greg McElroy of ESPN said recently on his “Always College Football” podcast that the Men of Troy’s wide receivers are a top 10 unit in the country.

But first, as McElroy said, let’s “start by telling you what USC lost.”

Trojan receivers drafted to the NFL

In April, NFL teams drafted Makai Lemon and Ja’Kobi Lane, two stars who’d excelled at USC.

Lemon, a unanimous All-American and the reigning Biletnikoff winner as the top wide receiver in the country, was taken with the 20th overall pick by the Philadelphia Eagles.

Lane, who was third-team All-Big Ten, was taken in the third round by the Baltimore Ravens.

“Between those two, you lost arguable the most productive wide receiver duo in the country,” McElroy said.

Despite that loss, the Trojans are well-positioned, McElroy argued.

New stars step into their place

Part of that potential is returning receiver Tanook Hines.

Hines, a freshman in 2025, scored a pair of touchdowns while racking up 561 yards on 34 receptions.

He also returned four kicks for 52 yards.

“If you look at Hines last year as a true freshman, he was one of the better receivers in the country based on efficiencies,” McElroy said. “He just wasn’t necessarily given the opportunity, but he was winning. And if he can continue to progress, there’s reason to believe that the ceiling is really high. It’s just with [Lemon and Lane] in the way, he didn’t have an opportunity to showcase what he was capable of.”

Joining Hines is transfer Terrell Anderson, who comes to LA after two years at North Carolina State.

In 2025, Anderson scored five touchdowns and had 629 yards on 39 receptions, and that’s with quarterback play that was “maybe a little bit up-and-down at times last year.”

At USC, though, Anderson will be paired with talented passer Jayden Maiava.

“If you look at Anderson, he’s transferring into a really good situation, one of the more efficient offenses in the sport with an offense that finds open receivers because that’s literally what the system is designed to do,” McElroy said. “And if you look at what Lincoln Riley’s done, what he’s done with Caleb Williams, he’s done it with Baker Mayfield. They’re going to find Terrell Anderson.”

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