Four-Star EDGE Recruit Mekai Brown Deciding Between USC, Notre Dame, Ohio State

Four-star EDGE recruit Mekai Brown is committing Friday morning, announcing his decision between a final group of USC, Texas A&M, Notre Dame, Ohio State, and Ole Miss.

Can the USC Trojans stay hot on the recruiting trail and land a top-50 prospect in Brown?

Mekai Brown Recruiting Profile

According to Rivals' Industry rankings, Brown is the No. 50 overall player in the class of 2027, the No. 7-ranked EDGE, and the No. 1 recruit from the state of Connecticut.

Standing at 6-6, 235, Brown's quickness is evident in his highlights. Physical at the point of attack, Brown also has the speed to chase ball carriers to the sideline. He can win battles often with his size and speed alone, and developing a deeper toolkit of pass rush moves could catapult Brown into five-star status.

Still a junior in high school, Brown has one more season with Greenwich Country Day before enrolling at the school of his choice.

However, after taking spring visits to a number of schools, including a trip to USC back in March, Brown is seemingly ready to make his decision. Whichever teams don't land him will likely continue to recruit such a high-profile target like Brown, but an early commitment suggests he's rather confident in his decision.

With a final group filled with Big Ten and SEC teams, can USC pull Brown from the East Coast?

USC Trojans Recruiting Class

Riley and company currently have 10 commits in the class of 2027:

Honor Fa'alave-Johnson, five-star safety

Quentin Hale, four-star wide receiver

Danny Lang, four-star cornerback

Aaryn Washington, four-star cornerback

Drew Fielder, four-star offensive lineman

Eli Woodard, four-star wide receiver

Javon Vital Jr., three-star running back

Jace Cannon, three-star tight end

Josiah Poyer, three-star linebacker

Isaia Vandermade, three-star defensive lineman

Eight out of the 10 recruits committed to the Trojans play high school football in California, but USC is still casting a national net when it comes to the best prospects in each class.

The Trojans brought in five-star EDGE Luke Wafle from New Jersey and four-star defensive lineman Jaimeon Winfield from Texas in the class of 2026, and Brown could be the latest national recruit to join USC's defensive line.

USC is expecting to sign a smaller class in 2027 after signing 35 recruits in the class of 2026, but defensive line is always a priority, especially for a prospect like Brown.

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This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/usc as Four-Star EDGE Recruit Mekai Brown Deciding Between USC, Notre Dame, Ohio State.

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This story was originally published April 17, 2026 at 6:05 AM.