Tag: USC recruiting

USC flips blue-chip 2024 defensive line commit on eve of national signing day

USC beats out Utah for a defensive lineman who decommitted from Washington.

On Tuesday, Ratumana Bulabalavu took to social media to announce his commitment to play football at USC. Defensive line coaches Shaun Nua and Eric Henderson closed in on the Carlsbad, California, four-star lineman after he decommitted from the University of Washington on January 24.

USC defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn has made it no secret that he values versatile linemen who can allow the defense to have multiple fronts without the need to substitute. Bulabalavu is big and athletic. He’s currently listed at 6-4 and 260 pounds, but he has the frame to add significant weight and become an even bigger force.

The multi-sport standout at Army and Navy Academy also starred in rugby and on the track team, where he competed in the discus, shot put, triple jump, and the 110-meter hurdles.  His size, strength and athleticism will allow him to play multiple positions on the line when he has a year or two in a collegiate strength and conditioning program.

In an interview with 247Sports, Bulabalavu shared his thoughts behind his decision:

“I like the scheme fit as well,” he said. “They see me as a combo, outside/inside player. They want a dynamic defensive line that is both athletic but also very heavy up front to compete in the Big Ten, so I’ll move around from tackle to edge.”

Explaining his choice for the Trojans over the Utah Utes, Bulabalavu highlighted the coaching staff’s potential. He added, “I’m completely bought in to being a part of the first class they develop and cultivate into an NFL talent.”

Bulabalavu becomes the sixth player added to the Trojans’ defensive line in the offseason, one more example of Lincoln Riley’s pledge to prioritize the defense. USC currently has the No. 17 recruiting class in the country, and Jadyn Walker is expected to flip his commitment from Michigan State to USC on national signing day.

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USC recruiting Texas running backs has always been a winning strategy

There’s a strong Texas identity in USC’s running back room, and this is not the first time we have seen as much.

The 2024 USC Trojans’ running back group will feature just two returning lettermen from the 2023 campaign, Quinten Joyner and A’Marion Peterson. MarShawn Lloyd and Austin Jones have both moved on to the NFL. Additionally, Matt Columbo and underutilized transfer Darwin Barlow have departed via the portal to San Diego State and North Carolina, respectively.

Joyner is a 5-11, 205-pound redshirt freshman from Paige, Texas, who tallied 6.9 yards per attempt on 18 carries in 2023. He gave Trojan fans a glimpse of what they have to look forward to in his career.  Joyner looks like he’s a threat to take the ball to the house on every carry. He flashed in Week 0 when he broke off a 47-yard run for a touchdown against the San Jose State Spartans. Peterson, 6-0 and 215 pounds from Witchita Falls, Texas, was also a redshirt freshman who had only two carries on the year.  He runs with a lot of power, he hits the hole hard, and when he gets into the second level, an arm takle is not going to take him down.

Hailing from McKinney, Texas, Bryan Jackson (6-0, 240 pounds) will join fellow Trojans in forming a formidable Texas trio in USC’s running back unit. Jackson, who made his commitment to the Trojans in the spring, chose USC over several other prominent programs including Alabama, Baylor, Georgia, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Notre Dame, Tennessee, and Texas. His size and strength make him a valuable asset to the power running game, where he is expected to provide quality depth and contribute significantly.

USC boasts a history of relying on talented running backs from the state of Texas. Remarkably, five of the top 20 running backs in USC’s prestigious lineage hail from the Lone Star State. This productive group includes Ronald Jones, Justin Davis, Delon Washington, Shawn Walters, and the legendary Ricky Bell.

Jo’Quavious Marks, a transfer from Mississippi State, will be the sole running back on the team who does not originate from Texas next season if they don’t add an additional player in the spring portal period. The coaching staff places high hopes on Marks, anticipating that his experience will provide invaluable guidance and support to the young running back room at USC.

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Can USC keep Julian Lewis’ commitment after his reclassification to 2025?

This recruitment does not feel settled. USC will have to clear more hurdles.

Announcing that he will be reclassifying to the 2025 recruiting class, Julian Lewis, the 6-1, 185-pound quarterback from Carrollton, Georgia, will see his recruitment heat up again.

Lewis committed to USC last year in August, choosing the Trojans over Georgia, Alabama, Ohio State, LSU, Oregon, and Texas A&M. He made it clear that Lincoln Riley’s history with quarterbacks was the deciding factor. Riley, who is only 40 years old, has already coached three Heisman Trophy-winning quarterbacks: Baker Mayfield, Kyler Murray, and Caleb Williams. The first two were also the first overall picks in the NFL draft, and Williams is expected to join them.

LSU has moved on and secured the commitment of the No. 1 recruit and quarterback in the 247Sports composite rankings, Bryce Underwood. Ohio State, a Big Ten rival, signed the No. 4 quarterback in the 2024 class, Air Noland, and the Buckeyes already have an elite 2025 quarterback commit in Tavien St. Clair. Elite quarterbacks do not sign in pairs, so these two schools are out of the running.

That leaves two other schools Lewis has visited twice since committing to USC: Georgia and Alabama. Lewis is from Georgia, and the Bulldogs are in need of an elite quarterback after Dylan Raiola flipped his commitment on signing day and signed with his father’s alma mater, Nebraska. While Alabama signed the top quarterback in the 2024 class, Julian Sayin, the Tide will likely still be in the market for another signal-caller in the 2025 class.

Julian and his family are very familiar with the local powerhouses that will pursue him until early signing day in December, and he chose USC. Perhaps the words of Julian’s father, TC Lewis, will help to ease concerns in Troy.

In an interview with 247Sports last summer, TC explained: “If Lincoln Riley doesn’t go [to an SEC team], it’s not an option.  With the word of NIL and that school academically and everything LA can bring and seeing the type focus Caleb has had and talking to Caleb’s dad about it, there is nowhere else to go. It seems like the smart move.”

It is often said that actions speak louder than words. Julian Lewis has a 25-3 record as the starting quarterback at Carrollton High School, but there have been rumors that he may transfer to Mater Dei or St. John Bosco in Southern California. While his father’s words are reassuring to Trojan fans, a move out west would certainly secure his son’s commitment to Lincoln Riley’s program. However, there is no guarantee this will happen. Dylan Raiola, who played high school football in Chandler, Arizona, transferred to Georgia to play his senior year, and we know how that ended.

The one thing you can always rely on in high school recruiting: it’s fluid. So buckle up, Trojans; it might be a bumpy ride.

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Check out this throw from USC 4-star commit Julian Lewis

Julian Lewis has another incredible throw.

For USC fans, 2026 can’t come soon enough. Not with Julian Lewis waiting as the quarterback of the future for USC.

And Lewis showed on Friday night why he has the potential to be so special. He linked up on a bomb, an absolute dime of a throw to teammate Caleb Odom.

The go-route saw Odom (a four-star tight end and an Alabama commit) simply outpace the defensive backs and then Lewis threw his downfield target in-stride for a touchdown.

The 49-yard touchdown connection between Lewis and Odom saw the ball travel in the air for all but five yards. It was a showcase throw from Lewis, with just about everything one would want to see from a Power Five recruit.

It is easy to see why USC head coach Lincoln Riley made Lewis a priority recruit.

 

Not only does Lewis have a strong arm, but this is impressive placement from a high school quarterback, let alone a quarterback in the class of 2026. He is a four-star recruit according to 247Sports.

Lewis and Odom’s Carrollton (Carrollton, Georgia) were up big on Harrison (Kennesaw, Georgia) in the opening round of the playoffs. Carrollton came into this game 9-1 and winner of nine straight games.

More:

Watch: Not even the playoffs can slow down 5-star quarterback Dylan Raiola

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No. 1 2026 QB Julian Lewis commits to USC

Julian Lewis committed to USC on Tuesday and is poised to follow the footsteps of Caleb Williams and Malachi Nelson upon his 2026 entrance.

Highly recruited quarterback Julian Lewis is only entering his sophomore year, but he already knows where he plans to play at the next level: On Tuesday morning, he announced his commitment to USC to play under head coach Lincoln Riley.

Lewis has previously told 247Sports that Riley running the offense is a difference-maker for quarterbacks, saying “All he does is turn his quarterbacks into to the best players in college football.”

With his announcement, tweeted in coordination with On3’s Hayes Fawcett, Lewis publicly made his choice from the 36 schools that had already offered him and his top eight of Alabama, Florida State, Georgia, LSU, Ohio State, Oregon, Texas A&M and USC.

Lewis was incredible as a freshman, leading Carrollton (Ga.) to a 14-1 record and an appearance in the championship game. He completed 65.5% of his passes for 4,118 yards and 48 touchdowns with 12 interceptions.

Even at his young age, Lewis has been a Div. I prospect for years, receiving his first offer in eighth grade from Florida, according to 247Sports. While the Gators were ahead of the game, the Trojans’ game plan for the 6-foot-1, 185-pounds QB was convincing.

It’s a path the Trojans have mapped out well. After reigning Heisman winner Caleb Williams departs for the NFL, presumably after this season, incoming five-star quarterback Malachi Nelson will take the reins. His earliest possible departure to the NFL is lined up to match the entrance of Lewis.

The Trojans appear to be selective about quarterback recruiting: Nelson is the only 2023 QB commit. There are no quarterbacks committed in the classes of 2024 or 2025. Lewis is the first player of USC’s recruiting class of 2026. The quarterback wheel of USC keeps on turning, and Lewis is the latest to grab ahold.

Four-star WR Ryan Pellum commits to USC with help of his baby

Ryan Pellum committed to USC this week — and had some help from his baby son, whose onesie revealed his college decision.

Ryan Pellum pulled off one of the more unique commitments this week when he announced his commitment to USC: He revealed his decision with use of his baby son’s onesie.

The four-star wide receiver, entering his senior year of high school, sat with Oregon and USC hats on the table in front of him as somebody handed him the baby. He turned the boy around, revealing the “Fight on!” and the two-finger gesture on the clothing.

It was one of the cuter moments of any college reveal in recent memory, and potentially ever. Watch it below on the video posted to 247Sports’ Twitter account:

Pellum, listed at 5-foot-11 and 170 pounds, is ranked on the 247Sports Composite as the No. 14 receiver in the class of 2024 and No. 64 player overall. He had 42 offers, including from programs like Alabama, Georgia, LSU and Michigan. With Oregon and USC as his final two choices, the Millikan (Long Beach, Calif.) student decided to stay home and go to school in Southern California.

After breaking out with 721 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns as a sophomore, Pellum took a step forward in his junior season with 1,028 receiving yards while matching his 10 touchdowns from the season before. With the commitment, USC now has two top-100 wide receivers in its class of 2024, with Pellum and Xavier Jordan (No. 67 on the composite) of Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.) poised to join Lincoln Riley’s program.

LeBron James reacts to Bronny’s USC commitment: ‘One of the best days of my life’

LeBron James called his son Bronny’s commitment to USC “one of the best days of my life” and said this is the first family member to attend college.

May 6 was a big day for the James family, as Bronny James announced his commitment to USC and LeBron James’ Los Angeles Lakers won Game 3 over the Golden State Warriors to take a 2-1 series lead. After the elder’s game finished, he spoke about his pride in Bronny’s college comitment.

“One of the best days of my life,” he said in the on-court interview with Spectrum SportsNet.

“First of all, congratulations to Bronny on his decision he made. I’m super proud of him, our family is proud of him. For me personally, it’s even more special to me because it’s the first time someone out of my family to go to college. Obviously I didn’t go to college. It’s just a proud moment to see my son go to college, and he’s the first one to go college in my family. Super duper proud, super emotional, but just super, super duper excited and happy for his journey. Today was a proud day. I couldn’t lose today no matter the outcome of this game, I couldn’t lose today personally. But I’ll take this cherry on top of this dub.

Bronny, whose recruitment profile has grown over the last couple years and is now ranked a four- or five-star prospect by major outlets, committed to USC over Oregon and Ohio State. LeBron said Bronny will be the first in the family to attend college; LeBron himself jumped straight to the NBA out of St. Vincent-St. Mary High School.

Watch LeBron’s interview here. His answer about Bronny begins around the 1:45 mark.

Bronny James commits to USC men’s basketball

Bronny James’ recruitment has come to an end as the guard committed to the USC Trojans men’s basketball team.

Bronny James has committed to USC men’s basketball, ensuring the son of LeBron James will stay close to his Los Angeles-area home and play college basketball instead of G League or in another professional league.

James committed to the Trojans on Instagram on Saturday, captioning his picture with a simple “fight on” and a V represented by the two-finger peace sign emoji. The Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.) star chose USC over his other top two schools, Ohio State and Oregon.

The four/five-star guard entered high school with all eyes on him as the eldest son of the Los Angeles Lakers star, and he improved markedly throughout his high school career, establishing himself as a legitimate NBA prospect who is seen by some as a potential lottery pick. He finished high school ranked as a four-star guard and No. 26 player on 247Sports and a five-star player and No. 21 overall on the 247Sports Composite.

 

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James has been a very good defensive player throughout his high school career despite standing at 6-foot-3. He has improved his shot over the years, and as a combo guard who frequently plays off ball, and is seen by many scouts as a potential 3-and-D player in the NBA. He showed out at the McDonald’s All-American Game, making five 3s in the all-star game.

Related: See LeBron’s reaction

He averaged 14 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.8 steals per game as a senior, according to Sportsmanor.

James has the highest NIL valuation in the class of 2023 at $7.2 million, according to On3.

James’ late commitment in the recruiting cycle grants USC another star prospect to go along with five-star point guard Isaiah Collier, who is the No. 1 player on the 247Sports Composite, and four-star center Arrinten Page. With that trio, the Trojans will hope to advance deeper into the NCAA Tournament after falling the first round both of the last two years.

Top 2024 recruit Dylan Raiola narrows list down to final four

USC is one of the select few schools being considered by the No. 1 available recruit in the Class of 2024.

The top quarterback and overall prospect of the 2024 recruiting class, Dylan Raiola, has a full year to make his commitment decision. Notably, he recently narrowed his list to four historic programs.

Raiola, who plays his high school football for Chandler High School in Arizona, initially committed to Ohio State but withdrew his pledge to the Buckeyes on Dec. 17.

Raiola told Chad Simmons of On3 Sports, that Georgia, Nebraska, Oregon and USC are currently the top schools in his recruitment.

“Georgia, USC, Nebraska and Oregon have really been in communication with me the most. Those schools have been really consistent, and I like the coaches I have been speaking with,” Raiola said.

He is the son of former Nebraska and Detroit Lions offensive lineman Dominic Raiola. His father had a legendary career for Nebraska from 1998-2000, finishing as a consensus All-American and winning the Rimington Trophy for the best center in college football.

Raiola threw for 3,341 yards and totaled 32 touchdowns in 12 games at Chandler High School.

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Linebacker? Check. Receivers? Check. USC needs nasty linemen in the coming weeks and months

Other position groups are being filled. This leaves the ones that matter most. #USC isn’t yet where it needs to be. We talked to @MarkRogersTV at the @VoiceOfCFB.

The USC Trojans got Mason Cobb at linebacker. They got Dorian Singer at wide receiver. They have addressed a few very specific needs in the transfer portal, and that’s a great thing. Lincoln Riley has hit some big targets, and the Trojans have already made their 2023 roster noticeably better. However, the fact that USC has upgraded certain positions only makes the not-fully-filled positions even more noticeable. The gaps on the USC roster are very clear, and they need to be plugged up.

Line play, line play, line play. USC needs nasty linemen on both sides of the ball in the transfer portal and the recruiting trail. The full grade for USC in both the portal and on the trail in the 2023 offseason cycle will depend on how well the Trojans beef up their offensive and defensive lines.

We all saw Utah’s toughness and ruggedness shove around USC in the two games the Trojans lost this season. USC will win a game decided by speed, athleticism, and open-field playmaking, but when the game gets rough and it turns into a street fight, the Trojans aren’t where they need to be. Utah proved that.

This is where the portal and the recruiting trail need to hit some home runs in the coming months. We talked about this with Mark Rogers at The Voice of College Football:

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