Tag: USC recruiting

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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2024 5-star DL David Stone announces USC as one of his top schools

USC isn’t the favorite for this recruit, but it is definitely in the mix and quite possibly in the top three.

Oklahoma City (Okla.) native and IMG Academy five-star defensive lineman David Stone currently holds more than 32 offers, but he narrowed his list down to 10 earlier this week.

Stone announced his top 10 schools: USC, Alabama, Oklahoma, Texas A&M, LSU, Oregon, Michigan State, Miami-FL, Tennessee and Florida.

According to the recruiting prediction machine provided by On3 Sports, there’s a 96.7% chance that Stone will choose to play in his original home state and attend Oklahoma.

The Crystal Ball predictions at 247Sports also have Stone becoming a Sooner when he makes his decision.

Stone grew up in Oklahoma rooting for the Sooners, so it wouldn’t be surprising at all to see him land in Norman, but Michigan State and USC are definitely the next teams in the mix.

USC currently is ranked 11th in the 2024 recruiting class with three hard commits that include: Joey Olsen, Aaron Butler, Jason Robinson all four star recruits at their respective positions.

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Malachi Nelson, USC’s No. 1 recruit in 2023, begins the ultimate football education

Malachi Nelson begins his football education at #USC. Dean of the School of Football: Lincoln Riley. Lead professor: Caleb Williams. Time to soak up knowledge.

Malachi Nelson is the ESPN number one overall recruit in this 2023 class. The California native is also a consensus top-three quarterback alongside Dante Moore (UCLA) and Arch Manning (Texas).

The 6-foot-3, 180-pound quarterback is drawing comparisons to former Oregon Duck and Heisman Trophy Winner Marcus Mariota.

Nelson received offers from schools such as Alabama, Oklahoma and Georgia, but chose to stay in his home state of California and head to USC with teammate Makai Lemon, a five-star receiver.

Nelson will sit behind Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams for a year, before taking the reins as the Trojans’ signal-caller in Lincoln Riley’s offense. It is notable that Nelson was willing to accept that his freshman season in 2023 will be a learning experience behind Caleb. His time to shine will be in 2024, when the Trojans move to the Big Ten. It will be very important for him to soak up knowledge from Caleb and Lincoln Riley next year, in words but more centrally in how they carry themselves on the field during games.

Malachi Nelson will need to study Riley’s offensive concepts, but more than that, he will need to see how Caleb Williams studies defenses and makes pre-snap reads. All of that is coming Nelson’s way in 2023, and we’re not likely to see the fruits of that process until the Trojans are in the Big Ten.

Nelson threw for more than 2,800 yards while compiling 35 touchdowns and only four picks, completing a career-high 67.1 percent of his passes and setting a career-best in yards per attempt (9.73).

The 6-foot-3, 180-pound QB has elite arm talent and has a smooth yet quick delivery. He has shown he can make all the NFL-level throws down the field.

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Lincoln Riley doesn’t seem overly annoyed about NIL’s effects on recruiting results

This does not mean Lincoln Riley likes the NIL landscape. It merely means he’s not overly bothered by USC’s position in the larger landscape (and he shouldn’t be).

Lincoln Riley was asked a very simple question on Wednesday at the start of the early signing period. USC didn’t score any late flips the way the Oregon Ducks did under Dan Lanning. The Trojans signed prospects who had been solidly committed to the program well in advance. There wasn’t a whole lot of drama for the Trojans, but losing Matayo Uiagalelei to Oregon was an undeniable disappointment.

So, Riley was asked, did USC lose any recruits because of NIL?

Riley’s answer was simple, but it also had two parts:

Part one: “Of course we did.”

Part two: Everyone did, though.

Part two is important, because without that second part, part one feels like a complaint. With part two included, it’s a simple acknowledgment that USC is no different from other programs. Riley isn’t singling out USC as a unique victim of this process.

Riley is no fan of NIL, but he’s not whining or crying about USC’s situation, as it should be. Anyone looking for controversy or trying to stir things up will be disappointed by Riley’s calm, measured response to the start of the early signing period.

That’s also a reminder: We still have several weeks to go until signing day in February. Let’s check back and see where we are then.

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