The buzz around USC freshman receiver Trent Mosley began well before he even arrived on campus in January. A sensational senior season at Trinity League power Santa Margarita (Calif.) last fall, which included numerous accolades and an Open Division state championship had those around the program excited about what Mosley could be in year one. Trent Mosley Makes Opening Day Statement Aug 29, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans wide receiver Trent Mosley (4) carries the ball against the San Jose State Spartans at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters ConnectVeterans had lofty admiration for the freshman receiver throughout the spring and assistant coaches didn’t hide their enthusiasm about Mosley during the annual media day brunch in April. All of that continued in fall camp as he earned the starting slot position, filling the void left by Biletnikoff Award winner Makai Lemon, who was selected by the Philadelphia Eagles in the first round of April's NFL Draft. Mosley has drawn comparisons to the Trojans All-American receiver and quickly validated it with a record-breaking performance in his collegiate debut. Not just because of his skillset but his approach to the game on and off the field. With receivers Tanook Hines and Terrell Anderson out of the lineup because of injuries, quarterback Jayden Maiava found Mosley early and often in a win over San José State this past weekend as he reeled in a team-high seven receptions for 118 yards and a touchdown.Mosley became the first Power Four freshman with 7+ receptions, 100+ receiving yards and a receiving touchdown in his college debut since former Purdue receiver Rondale Moore in 2018. He also became the first USC receiver since JuJu Smith-Schuster in 2014 to go over 100 receiving yards in his debut. Mosley was the highest graded true freshman in week 0 according to Pro Football Focus at 90.3. Aug 29, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans wide receiver Trent Mosley (4) celebrates with running back Waymond Jordan (2) after scoring on a 14-yard touchdown pass in the third quarter against the San Jose State Spartans at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect“That kid moves differently. He's special,” said running back King Miller. For those that watched Mosley star in the Trinity League for the past four seasons and rewrite the California hierarchy last fall, his performance inside the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum wasn’t much of surprise. It especially wasn’t anything new for USC coach Lincoln Riley. “He kind of just does what he does in practice,” Riley said. “I don't think anybody here was very surprised. That's kind of what it looks like most days there, right outside of Bloom. He's a consistent player and explosive player, and I thought he came in and attacked it, didn't play hesitant, and was a good weapon for us.”Reliable Target for Jayden Maiava and Special Teams ImpactAug 29, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; USC Trojans quarterback Jayden Maiava (14) drops back for a pass second quarter against the San José State Spartans at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters ConnectLemon was excellent at finding the soft spots in zone coverages last fall for Maiava. It’s one of the reasons why their chemistry was so good. The two always seemed to be on the same page when it came to reading defenses. Mosley immediately assumed that role in the season opener. Mosley didn’t just step into Lemon’s position, he felt like a carbon copy as he and Maiava were in-synch all afternoon. “That trust comes from making plays on the ball," Maiava said. "Every time he caught a ball I threw to him, that trust just got a lot deeper."In addition to stepping into Lemon’s role on offense, Mosley made an impact on special teams the same way Lemon did as the punt returner. On his very first touch, college football got a small glimpse of what the freshman receiver can do with the ball in his hands with a 41-yard return. Mosley broke several tackles, showing off his strength. Something USC linebacker coach and special teams coordinator Mike Ekeler highlighted back in the spring. At no point did Mosley feel like a regular freshman, he was just an impact player for the Trojans offense and undoubtedly their best player on that side of the ball in the opener. Now, the focus shifts to continuing to build off some early momentum.Sign up to our free newsletter and follow us on Facebook, and X for the latest news. Add us as a preferred source on GoogleFollow