Tag: USC recruiting

Ole Miss commit Jordan Lockhart takes final visit with USC

Just how much intrigue should we attach to this USC visit for a player who seems committed to Lane Kiffin and Ole Miss?

Jordan Lockhart is paying USC a visit … but will it matter?

Lockhart is one of the top high school linebackers in the nation. He hails from Bellflower, Calif., and attends powerhouse St. John Bosco. The four-star linebacker committed to Ole Miss back in January. His older brother, Danny Lockhart Jr., announced that he is walking on to Ole Miss from USC as well.

The rangy 6-foot-3, 210-pound linebacker has a ways to go — he is a Class of 2024 prospect — but Lockhart could be a major player in the Ole Miss defense when he lands on campus in Oxford.

As a sophomore on a top-five team in the nation, Lockhart racked up 12 tackles, 1.5 sacks and a forced fumble in six appearances last season for the Braves. The rising junior is expected to produce an all-state season in 2022.

Lockhart holds offers from Alabama, Arizona, Maryland, Utah, Texas, Oregon and USC. We do believe that Lockhart is strongly committed to Maurice Crum, Lane Kiffin, and the Rebel program, but with his visit to USC before the season Lockhart could flip to stay close to home and pair up with teammates from the Bosco Braves program.

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Player Profile: USC 2023 target Matayo Uiagalelei

While D.J. Uiagalelei prepares for a hugely consequential season at Clemson, Matayo gets ready for a big year at St. John Bosco.

Matayo Uiagalelei is part of the rich football tradition at St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.). His older brother, D.J. Uiagalelei, is now the starting quarterback for the Clemson Tigers.

Uiagalelei’s top schools currently are Alabama, Ohio State, Clemson, Oregon and USC, with the slight favorite being the Ohio State Buckeyes.

Uiagalelei plays both ways, also getting time on offense as a tight end for the powerhouse St. John Bosco roster. Most pundits and scouts project the 6-foot-5 Trojan target to play defensive end at the next level. As mentioned before, USC could use the help on defense, especially in the trenches, a place where USC has struggled over the past decade.

The 265-pound Uiagalelei is ranked 27th overall in the 2023 class, and in the top five in both the state of California and at the edge position. Matayo racked up 457 receiving yards, 33 catches and 10 total touchdowns on offense while also adding 21 tackles, 6 tackles for loss, and 3 sacks at multiple D-line positions.

Uiagalelei was named LA Times Player of The Year in 2021 last season. He was recently named a First-Team All-American by Max Preps. The senior reminds me of Isaiah Foskey, formerly of De La Salle High School (California) and currently at Notre Dame. Foskey is expected to be a top-50 pick in the 2023 NFL draft, and in a few years I expect Matayo to be right there in the mix.

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Player Profile: USC 2023 target Matayo Uiagalelei

While D.J. Uiagalelei prepares for a hugely consequential season at Clemson, Matayo gets ready for a big year at St. John Bosco.

Matayo Uiagalelei is part of the rich football tradition at St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.). His older brother, D.J. Uiagalelei, is now the starting quarterback for the Clemson Tigers.

Uiagalelei’s top schools currently are Alabama, Ohio State, Clemson, Oregon and USC, with the slight favorite being the Ohio State Buckeyes.

Uiagalelei plays both ways, also getting time on offense as a tight end for the powerhouse St. John Bosco roster. Most pundits and scouts project the 6-foot-5 Trojan target to play defensive end at the next level. As mentioned before, USC could use the help on defense, especially in the trenches, a place where USC has struggled over the past decade.

The 265-pound Uiagalelei is ranked 27th overall in the 2023 class, and in the top five in both the state of California and at the edge position. Matayo racked up 457 receiving yards, 33 catches and 10 total touchdowns on offense while also adding 21 tackles, 6 tackles for loss, and 3 sacks at multiple D-line positions.

Uiagalelei was named LA Times Player of The Year in 2021 last season. He was recently named a First-Team All-American by Max Preps. The senior reminds me of Isaiah Foskey, formerly of De La Salle High School (California) and currently at Notre Dame. Foskey is expected to be a top-50 pick in the 2023 NFL draft, and in a few years I expect Matayo to be right there in the mix.

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USC 2023 target Roderick Robinson makes preseason watch list

Roderick Robinson is currently committed to UCLA, but as we saw with Maliki Crawford’s recruitment, USC has a definite flip opportunity here.

Four-star California running back Rodrick Robinson of Lincoln High in San Diego is considered the No. 1 running back in California. He will try to lead the Hornets to the CIF San Diego Section Open Division title. Robinson is a walking highlight reel and one of the best running backs from San Diego in the past decade.

Robinson was recently named one of the Top 12 Mr. Football State Player Of The Year Contenders by Calhisports.com and is expected to be a front-runner for the 2022 Player of The Year Award in San Diego as well, competing with junior quarterback Julian Sayin and his teammate, receiver Justin Johnson.

Robinson has offers from Tennessee, USC, Auburn, Arizona and Georgia, just to name a few, but is currently committed to UCLA. The 6-1, 238-pound bruiser is an old-school power back who had 1,273 rushing yards and 17 touchdowns in 2021. Though Robinson is committed to UCLA and has a close relationship with former UCLA running back and current Bruin assistant Deshaun Foster, I could still see Robinson flip to a SEC school or USC in the future.

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Makai Lemon of Los Alamitos debuts on MaxPreps All-America Team

The preseason accolades and honors continue to roll in for members of #USC’s 2023 class.

When shopping for a car, you don’t want to buy a lemon. When looking for a quality football player, USC was thrilled to find Makai Lemon. He has a motor that won’t quit.

The 6-foot, 180-pound four-star receiver finished his junior season with 65 receptions for 1,065 yards and 15 touchdowns, and he added four interceptions on defense at cornerback. The USC commit also\ averaged nearly 30 yards per kick return. He and future teammate Zachariah Branch are two of the fastest men in the national 2023 recruiting class.

Lemon was named to the MaxPreps Preseason All-America Team.

Lemon is committed to USC with his high quarterback Malachi Nelson, another All-American and five-star recruit in his own right.

The senior wide receiver is ranked as the No. 52 player in the class of 2023 and the ninth-best WR in the class according to On3.com.

The previously mentioned Nelson connected with Lemon for more than 1,000 yards and 15 touchdowns in 2021 after racking up 756 yards and nine scores in the fall of 2020.

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Future Trojan Zachariah Branch of Bishop Gorman debuts on All-America team

USC is definitely Branching out in recruiting.

Zachariah Branch of Bishop Gorman High School (Nevada) debuted on Max Preps’ First Team All-America roster for the 2022 season. The five-star prospect finished his junior season at Bishop Gorman with 1,094 yards (22.7 yards per catch) and 14 touchdowns on 48 receptions.

The 2021 Max Preps Player of the Year in Nevada, in both football and track and field, had over 1,000 yards receiving and 14 touchdowns while leading the powerhouse Bishop Gorman Gaels to their 18th state title in school history.

Branch is a monster addition to Lincoln Riley’s first full recruiting class in Los Angeles, which is quickly shaping up as one of the best in the nation. Branch is joined by future teammate Makai Lemon as a Max Preps First-Team All-American.

Fun fact: His brother Zion Branch, who is a freshman at USC, signed with the Trojans last season. He was a four-star recruit and the defensive player of the year in the state of Nevada.

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USC target Duce Robinson is a 2022 Preseason MaxPreps All-America selection

Duce Robinson comes from a family of elite athletes. He could be special … and not just in football, either. #USC’s baseball program can use a lift, too.

Three-sport start athlete (baseball, football and basketball) Duce Robinson of Pinnacle High School in Phoenix is the TE1 for the Max Preps All-America Team for 2022.

His father Dominic Robinson was a two-sport star coming out of high school. He was a five-star football recruit who signed with the St. Louis Rams and was also drafted by the Minnesota Twins. Dominic is now a prominent athletic trainer in Arizona. Duce’s mother, Mary Beth Robinson, was a former All-America swimmer at Florida.

Duce Robinson dominated at The Opening Finals right after his baseball season ended, which just goes to show how dominant Robinson could be at the next level with a full season of football. Robinson is a legitimate Major League Baseball prospect and a top-100 high school baseball prospect for the upcoming 2023 season.

Yet, the five-star tight end is also one of the best at his position in the past decade, so he’ll have a tough choice to make next season. Robinson is only the fourth tight end who has earned five-star status in the 247Sports Composite rankings over the past 10 recruiting cycles. I expect Robinson to be a USC Trojan, being able to play two sports at the next level.

The 6-6, 225-pound Robinson caught 91 passes for 1392 yards and 11 touchdowns last season.

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USC 2023 commit Tackett Curtis makes the elite, is part of SI 99 rankings

The more one studies Tackett Curtis, the easier it is to love what he will bring to the able for #USC. @DonJamesSports has more:

Class of 2023 USC commit Tackett Curtis of Many High School in Lousiana debuts in the Sports Illustrated 99 recruiting rankings at No. 87.

Tackett Curtis is a 6-foot-2, 220-pound linebacker who also plays running back, safety, kick returner, and edge rusher as well. He’s a four-star prospect who is currently ranked as the No. 92 player in the 247Sports composite.

Curtis committed to USC on July 18 and appears ready to have a huge senior season before playing in Los Angeles next year.

The Louisiana native has accumulated 195 tackles, 5 interceptions, 494 all-purpose yards, and 5 touchdowns over the past two seasons. Outside of football Curtis has a 4.0-grade point average and is ranked first in his high school class. He plans on majoring in computer science at USC.

Tackett Curtis is a dynamic, versatile athlete with a high football IQ and a set of attributes that every coach dreams of in a football player. Curtis will fill important positional needs for USC, but more than that, he presents a package of traits which should translate into locker-room leadership and a presence which will help teammates on and off the field.

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Trojans commit Zachariah Branch debuts in 2023 SI 99 Rankings at No. 12

USC’s top-tier recruits continue to receive glowing evaluations, underscoring the Trojans’ potential as the Lincoln Riley era evolves.

Zachariah Branch is a 5-11, 170-pound slot receiver from Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas. He is one of the more dynamic pass catchers and athletes in the nation. Branch competed in the Nevada Southern 5A Regional Championship meet in the 100 meters, 200 meters, and long jump as a sophomore. He ran a 10.33 100 and a wind-aided 21.01 200. He long jumped 24 feet and triple jumped 46-4.25.

The five-star prospect finished his junior season at Bishop Gorman with 1,094 yards (22.7 yards per catch) and 14 touchdowns on 48 receptions, helping the Gaels win a state title.

Branch is ranked the top receiver in the 2023 class and comes in as No. 12 overall in the new SI99 rankings released Wednesday. 

As a reminder, SI ranks recruits based specifically on their collegiate potential. Points of emphasis will differ for each set of recruiting evaluations, so keep in mind what SI is using for its evaluations. Other outlets will use different formulas.

SI’s formula has focal points which include premium position prospects (quarterback, offensive tackle, pass rusher, defensive back), high-floor evaluations, and overall body of work with an emphasis on varsity game video.

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USC gets commitment from 4-star edge Braylan Shelby

USC football started August strong with commitments from Braylan Shelby and Maliki Crawford, a pair of four-star defensive players.

USC football added its second commitment of the month on Saturday. Braylan Shelby, a four-star edge from Friendswood (Texas), announced he will head to Southern California to join the Trojans.

Shelby is ranked as the No. 15 edge rusher in the class of 2023 and No. 133 player over all. He chose USC over 35 other offers, per 247Sports, including Texas. Longhorns Wire reported that Texas heavily recruited Shelby and will “likely continue” to pursue a relationship with the four-star prospect.

USC and head coach Lincoln Riley will try to fight off any Texas advances that may continue for the 6-foot-4.5, 235-pound defensive star. The Trojans have continued their major progress since Riley came aboard, picking up 15 commits thus far in the class of 2023, ranked No. 12 in the nation. USC is one of just five programs to have multiple five-star commits.

The program has started August hot with pledges from two defensive prospects. In addition to Shelby, four-star cornerback Maliki Crawford committed to the Trojans. Crawford, hailing from Pacifica (Oxnard, Calif.), is ranked the No. 33 cornerback and No. 352 player in the class. He had 18 offers overall, according to 247Sports.