The Trojan defense has a new commander front and center.

Easton Mascarenas-Arnold may be new to Southern California, but he has already made an impact.

It’s clear: USC is a prestigious institution. Trojan fans take immense pride in watching emerging stars don the cardinal and gold and start to build their legacy. Recent examples include Caleb Williams, Evan Mobley, and Skylar Fields. Whether their time in Los Angeles has ended in triumph or disappointment, certain names consistently dominate the conversation around USC sports.

While celebrating Trojan legends is important, most of them play team sports and would readily acknowledge that their success is deeply tied to the efforts of their teammates and USC’s medical staff. This isn’t just clichéd talk or press conference rhetoric; it’s genuinely true.

Remember last March when we watched the national sensation Juju Watkins in action? During the Pac-12 championship game, Stanford tightly defended Watkins, resulting in a tough performance where she shot 2-15 and scored just 9 points. Instead, it was the combined effort of graduate guards McKenzie Forbes and Kayla Padilla, along with 18 crucial rebounds from then-sophomore center Rayah Marshall, that propelled the Trojans past Stanford and earned USC their first Pac-12 title since 2014.

This doesn’t diminish Watkins’ status as a superstar — just like LeBron James in the 2011 NBA Finals — but it highlights how focusing too much on a few standout players can overshadow other Trojan achievements. So, I’ll begin spotlighting players who may not get as much media attention but are making significant contributions to USC’s success. I’ll start with a newcomer who’s already making a notable impact.

Senior linebacker Easton Mascarenas-Arnold joined SoCal this summer after spending three years at Oregon State, where he played 37 games and recorded 159 tackles. Along with his stepbrother, redshirt senior safety Akili Arnold, Mascarenas-Arnold has quickly become a key leader on the revamped Trojan defense.

Before the season began, Head Coach Lincoln Riley announced that team captains would be chosen on a game-by-game basis, requiring players to earn their leadership roles each week. Both Arnold brothers were named captains for the season opener against LSU. Additionally, Mascarenas-Arnold was one of only two players — the other being redshirt junior quarterback Miller Moss — selected by Riley as captains for both of the first two games of the season.

“I think it’s a huge honor,” Mascarenas-Arnold said in a postgame press conference following USC’s win over Utah State. “I was pretty surprised when [Riley] announced my name for the second time; that was really cool. But I see it as a significant responsibility to be recognized like that by my coaches and teammates, and with that comes a lot of attention.”

Mascarenas-Arnold has smoothly embraced his leadership role, both on the field and off. In the first two games, he has recorded 13 tackles, a pass deflection, and an interception. However, his impact extends beyond the stats. His presence in the center of the Trojan defense has brought a sense of calm and resilience, qualities that have been somewhat missing in the early years of Riley’s tenure.

Standing at just six feet tall, Mascarenas-Arnold may not have the imposing size of senior linebacker Eric Gentry, but at 231 pounds, he still commands a significant presence on the field and often appears to be a step ahead of everyone else. Alongside Gentry and redshirt senior linebacker Mason Cobb, Mascarenas-Arnold has helped form a versatile, tenacious linebacker group that can intimidate opposing offenses.

While Gentry and Cobb have garnered the most attention so far, with key contributions in USC’s upset win over then-No. 13 LSU, Mascarenas-Arnold’s immediate leadership and all-around effectiveness on the field have been vital to the Trojans’ early success. He might not be featured in the gameday program this weekend, but expect to see him making an impact on the Michigan offense — and doing it with a big smile.

Senior linebacker Easton Mascarenas-Arnold, who joined USC from Oregon State this summer, has recorded 13 tackles in his first two games as a Trojan. (Jeremy Park / Daily Trojan)