Elite four-star USC cornerback commit Danny Lang has been committed to the Trojans long enough now that most people around Southern California recruiting circles already view him as one of the foundational pieces of USC’s future secondary.

But despite being firmly committed, the Mater Dei standout said major programs are still pushing hard.

“Oregon and Ohio State,” Lang said when asked which schools continue recruiting him the most aggressively. “I don’t think they’re gonna stop until it’s all said and done.”

Still, nothing about Lang’s comments suggested there’s much movement coming.

If anything, he sounds even more confident about where USC is headed.

“USC’s gonna be a powerhouse for sure in the next couple years,” Lang said. “I wouldn’t be surprised if we end up in a natty.”

Pinky’s Arrival At Mater Dei Was Huge For Lang

One major recent development for Lang came when veteran defensive coach Ivan “Pinky” Stephenson joined the Mater Dei staff as defensive coordinator.

For Lang, the hire carried even more significance because the relationship between the two already goes back years.

“He’s my trainer, actually,” Lang said.

According to Lang, he’s been training with Pinky since eighth grade — long before becoming one of the nation’s top defensive back prospects. And when he first heard Pinky would be joining the Mater Dei coaching staff full-time, his reaction was immediate.

“My first thought was my game was gonna get better to the next level for sure,” Lang said. “With him already being my trainer and adding that to him coming to my school, it’s just a plus for me.”

From Receiver To Elite Defensive Back

Interestingly enough, Lang said he wasn’t even primarily a defensive back when he first started working with Pinky.

“I was a receiver at first,” Lang said. “I was just starting to play DB when I started training with him.”

That development process has clearly paid off. Lang credits Pinky heavily for refining every aspect of his game over the years.

“He gets me right with everything,” Lang said. “Press work, off coverage, really everything.”

The growth from raw athlete to polished cornerback has been obvious over the last few seasons, and Lang believes the added daily coaching at Mater Dei will only continue accelerating that process heading into his senior season.

USC Continuing To Load Up

Lang remains heavily involved with USC’s recruiting efforts and plans to attend every one of the Trojans’ June camp and workout sessions.

“I’ll be at every session,” Lang said.

He’s also closely watching USC continue stacking talent in the 2026 and 2027 recruiting classes, something that has only strengthened his belief in the direction of the program.

“The ’26 class is already stacked,” Lang said. “And they’re doing their thing with the ’27 class.”

Lang specifically mentioned several highly regarded defensive backs and recruits USC is targeting, including Damien HS standout safety Gavin Williams and fellow elite prospects across the country.

One thing that clearly stands out to Lang is USC’s ability to recruit nationally while simultaneously locking down Southern California at a level the Trojans haven’t consistently done in years.

And from his perspective, the roster construction is beginning to resemble what USC looked like during its championship years.

“I keep thinking this is the best roster USC’s had since Pete Carroll,” the conversation turned toward.

Navy All-American Lang didn’t hesitate to agree.

“We’re gonna be a powerhouse,” Lang repeated.

And judging by the way USC’s recruiting momentum continues building, it’s easy to understand why committed players like Lang believe the Trojans are positioning themselves for much bigger things ahead.

Lang said Oregon has been coming on hard and visited Mater Dei this month to specifically see him, but he’s locked in with the Trojans.