USC countdown to kickoff: Recalling Trojans tight end Randall Telfer

Countdown to kickoff is back! USC will kick off its 2026 football season on August 29 when the Trojans host San Jose State at the Coliseum. In this series, we will be counting down the days until the season opener by highlighting a notable Trojan who wore each number.

Today, we take a look at former USC tight end Randall Telfer.

Career highlights: Telfer was one of two tight ends Lane Kiffin brought in in his first USC recruiting class in 2010, alongside Xavier Grimble. The two both redshirted their first year on campus, before forming a dynamic duo at tight end over the next three seasons. After Grimble declared for the 2014 NFL draft, Telfer became the go-to guy at the position his final season.

Telfer finished his USC career with 65 receptions for 648 yards and 12 touchdowns. He established himself as a big game player during his time with the Trojans, with 7 of his 12 scores coming against either UCLA, Notre Dame, or a top 10 opponent.

After USC: Telfer was selected in the sixth round of the 2015 NFL draft by the Cleveland Browns. He played two seasons with Cleveland, catching five passes for 40 yards. After being released by the Browns in 2018 and subsequently failing a physical with the Indianapolis Colts, Telfer announced his retirement from football.

Telfer received his master’s degree from USC in 2017. According to his LinkedIn page, he currently works as Vice President of Digital Marketing at Interscope Records in Los Angeles.