Tag: USC recruiting

Tons of USC targets set to play in St John Bosco-Mater Dei showcase

.@DonJamesSports offers an overview of the many #USC targets who will play in the 1-vs-2 mega-showdown between Bosco and Mater Dei on Friday.

USC fans might naturally want to watch the St. John Bosco Braves face the Mater Dei Monarchs this Friday night in the Santa Ana Bowl, simply because these are two California powerhouse programs. As one might readily expect, however, this isn’t just a fun matchup. Lots of future USC Trojans and players Lincoln Riley is courting are involved in this game.

Let’s mention several USC targets on the field in this 1-versus-2 super showdown:

As a junior, Bosco Braves quarterback and Louisville commit Pierce Clarkson threw for 1,416 yards and 16 touchdowns while completing 60% of his passes. He also rushed for 254 yards and four touchdowns. Through six games this year, Clarkson has thrown for 904 yards and 13 touchdowns and is completing 59% of his passes. He has rushed for another 195 yards and two more scores.

Given the reality that Louisville head coach Scott Satterfield could be fired before the end of 2022, there is a distinct possibility that he and other Louisville commits could flip to other schools. USC could be in with a chance to pounce on Clarkson.

As a sophomore, Elijah Brown threw for 2,581 yards and 30 touchdowns while completing 74% of his passes to lead Mater Dei to a 12-0 record and a collection of CIF, state and national championships. He doesn’t run much but is very capable of buying time, extending plays, and either making a throw down the field or running for a first down when needed.

Through six games this year, Brown has thrown for 1,376 yards and 17 touchdowns and completed 69% of his throws. Keep in mind he has never lost a game as a starter; he’s 23-0. 

Mater Dei targets in this top national matchup on Friday night include: junior quarterback Elijah Brown; senior linebacker Levitivus Su’a; junior offensive linemen Rocky Ma’aele, Deandre Carter, and Brandon Baker; freshman receiver Kayden Dixon-Wyatt; junior cornerback Zabien Brown; and super sophomore running backs Jordon Davison and Nasir Wyatt.

Bosco is a slight favorite over the Monarchs this year. The main reason is that their defense is led by a USC Trojan target, defensive end Matayo Uiagalelei, the younger brother of former top-five overall recruit and current Clemson quarterback D.J. Uiagalelei.

Other USC Trojan targets on St. John Bosco include: Bosco (S) R.J Jones, (CB) Marcelles Williams, (LB) Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa, and Ole Miss commit Jordan Lockhart.

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5-star USC target is ready to go for Los Alamitos after agonizing delay

T.A. Cunningham, the subject of a major report in The Athletic earlier in September, will finally get to play high school football in the state of California.

Class of 2024 USC target T.A. Cunningham is one of the top junior recruits in California and the nation.

Cunningham moved to California from Georgia in the summer, but he waited weeks to have his transfer approved by the Southern Section. Four games into the season, his high school, Los Alamitos, was informed that Cunningham was deemed ineligible.

The five-star recruit has yet to play a down in California, but that’s about to change. The CIF Southern Section took action on Monday and cleared his transfer from Johns Creek (Georgia) to Los Alamitos (California). This was a moment and a decision many people had waited for, Cunningham most of all. After having to deal with the wrenching scenario of watching his teammates play and not being able to help them on the field in a helmet and pads, Cunningham will finally be able to get in the game. Physically fresh and rested, Cunningham is in position to make a very significant impact on the season for Los Alamitos.

T.A. Cunningham had 66 tackles (22 for loss) and seven sacks as a sophomore last season playing for Johns Creek (Georgia).

The USC target is a 6-6, 275-pound defensive lineman who is ranked 19th nationally and is the No. 1 overall recruit at his projected position, defensive end.

Cunningham will play alongside two top USC commits, Malachi Nelson and Makai Lemon, who are expected to be USC Trojans in December.

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Did USC win hurt Oregon State’s recruiting efforts?

Did USC’s win put a dent in Oregon State’s recruiting plans? The Beavers had some big names at Reser Stadium for Saturday’s game.

Let’s step back for a moment and provide a reset: The Pacific Northwest has been the best and most successful region in the Pac-12 Conference in the month of September. There is only one Pac-12 game left this month, the Friday (Sept. 30) game between the nationally-ranked Washington Huskies and the unbeaten UCLA Bruins. With the month coming to an end, the Northwest has been the center of the action. Oregon and Washington State played a thriller. Washington is unbeaten. Oregon State nearly toppled USC.

This brings us to the Beavers.

College football recruiting analyst Brandon Huffman spends a lot of time looking at recruiting in the Pac-12 and in the West. At the San Jose Mercury News, he offered some notes and insights before this past weekend’s game between USC and Oregon State.

This week is a huge opportunity for Oregon State with USC coming to town and the Beavers looking for their first 4-0 start since 2012.

They should have a rocking atmosphere at Reser Stadium for a number of visitors.

Huffman noted that Aiden Childs, the four-star quarterback commit from Downey, Calif., planned to attend the game.

Childs will likely try to recruit a four-star commit currently pledged to another school: cornerback Daylen Austin, who is committed to LSU. The Beavers have connections to him. His older brother, Alex, is a cornerback for Oregon State.

Daylen Austin, though committed to LSU, still has an offer from USC.

Another OSU commit at the game: unrated linebacker Isaiah Chisolm, who chose the Beavers over USC and the California Golden Bears this past summer.

An eye-opening name from the 2024 class at the USC-Oregon State game: three-star cornerback Nikko Klemm from Eugene.

He’s an elite player in the state and the son of Oregon offensive line coach Adrian Klemm.

One has to wonder how much USC’s win (Oregon State’s loss) will affect any of these recruiting dramas.

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USC commit Tackett Curtis helps upset Arch Manning in high school showdown

A #USC commit went head-to-head with Arch Manning … and won the matchup. That’s an eye-opener in itself.

Everyone knew what the biggest high school game was this past weekend.

USC commit and do-it-all star Tackett Curtis kept Arch Manning in check in Many High School’s 25-17 upset of Newman High School in a Louisiana showdown on Friday night.

Curtis, the four-star linebacker and USC commit, led Many over Manning, the five-star quarterback with celebrated football bloodlines.

With Curtis and his Many teammates applying pressure, Manning completed just eight of his 20 pass attempts for 80 yards and two touchdowns against a stingy defensive performance.

Curtis compiled nine tackles, including two for a loss, while adding 85 rushing yards in a two-way performance.

Recruited as a linebacker, Curtis also plays quarterback for the Tigers (4-0) and returns punts. He plays as a linebacker/safety hybrid in the Tigers’ defense and can work from either side of the edge as well, making him one of the most versatile players in the whole 2023 class.

Curtis also teamed with 2024 247Sports four-star Tylen Singleton to provide a handful of the game’s biggest hits.

Look for Tackett Curtis to continue his impressive senior season as he tries to repeat as a state champion and win Gatorade State Player of The Year in Louisiana.

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USC cracks the Top 10 for 5-star 2024 quarterback D.J. Lagway

This could be USC’s second QB of the Big Ten era, after Malachi Nelson.

The USC Trojans made the initial top 10 list of schools for Texas native D.J. Lagway. The five-star 2024 Willis (TX) quarterback made USC a contender joined by Alabama, Arkansas, Baylor, Clemson, Florida, Georgia, LSU, Oklahoma and Texas A&M.

The 6-foot-2, 225-pound Lagway  is rated the No. 30 overall prospect and the No. 5 signal caller in the class, according to the 247Sports Composite. He is the No. 44 overall prospect and the No. 6 quarterback in the 247Sports rankings.

In three games this season he has thrown for 575 passing yards and 8 TDs to just three interceptions. Lagway has drawn comparisons to former Alabama and Oklahoma quarterback Jalen Hurts. He has also run for 190 yards and two more scores.

He’s an electric athlete with a live arm but still needs refinement as a pure passer. He has some Kellen Mond to his game, as well as components of the previously mentioned Jalen Hurts as a physical runner.

Lagway threw for 1,579 yards and 17 TDs with just two interceptions last season. He also rushed for 715 yards and six more scores on the ground.

Fun facts about D.J.: Lagway’s father Derek played running back at Baylor in the late 1990s. D.J. is also an all-district baseball player as an outfielder.

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2023 target Deijon Laffitte commits to USC, as Trojans beef up their defensive line

#USC continues to fortify its D-line for 2023 and beyond, addressing one of the most important areas of need on the roster.

One week after adding fast-rising St. Frances Academy (Maryland) defensive lineman Sam Greene, USC got another defensive line pledge.

The 6-foot-3, 285-pound Deijon Laffitte is not rated in the 247Sports Composite or by On3 Sports, but he is the No. 150 defensive line prospect in the nation and the No. 152 recruit out of California in the 247Sports rankings. He had offers from Boise State, Washington, Maryland, Washington State, Utah, Tennessee, Arizona State, and Colorado, and is one of the fastest rising prospects of the year.

“He’s just a great, great high character kid. He’s a leader vocally and he’s a leader with actions. You’re more successful (as a team) when you have those verbal leaders,” said his high school coach, Colony head coach Brian Zavala. “He’s got a high football IQ. He’s able to get everybody in the right spot from the d-line position and that’s hard to do.”

USC continues to build depth, with head coach Lincoln Riley, defensive coordinator Alex Grinch, and defensive line coach Shaun Nua fortifying a position group which is currently one of the thinner parts of the 2022 USC roster. It will be less of a problem in 2023 and beyond.

The Trojans’ 2023 recruiting class now has 18 commitments and ranks No. 13 nationally in the 2023 On3 Consensus Team Recruiting Rankings and second in the Pac-12 behind Oregon according to On3.com

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USC adds a defensive tackle, lands 2023 target Sam Greene

#USC needs reinforcements on the defensive line. Enter Sam Greene, who gives the Trojans more of the depth they have to stockpile.

The USC Trojans badly need more bodies on their defensive line. Lincoln Riley and his staff just did something about it by landing 2023 defensive tackle Sam Greene.

The Baltimore St. Frances defensive tackle committed to USC Thursday night to add to an already stellar 2023 recruiting class for Riley and Company.

The 6-foot-2, 260-pound three-star committed to the Trojans over Boston College, Penn State, and Texas A&M. Greene committed to the Pac-12 program without ever taking a visit to the campus in L.A.

“They have a family-oriented coaching staff and they really treat their players like they’re one of theirs,” Greene told 247Sports. “I like the way they do things out there.

He is the No. 696 overall prospect and No. 75 defensive lineman in the 2023 cycle, according to the On3 rankings. Greene is also the No. 12 player in Maryland.

USC will get him on campus first when the Trojans host Arizona State on October 1. The three-star will be at Penn State for the White Out game against Minnesota on October 22. His visit to Texas A&M is reportedly October 29 for the Aggies’ game versus Ole Miss.

The Baltimore native transferred from Upper Marlboro (MD) Rock Creek Christian to Baltimore St. Frances, where he and the Panthers are ranked in the top 25 in the country.

Had 11.5 sacks and 43 tackles for loss at Rock Creek Christian last season.

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USC 2023 commit Tackett Curtis delivers spectacular feat in high school game

You will never believe what a #USC 2023 commit did in his most recent high school game over the weekend … and we have video highlights of it!

USC commit Tackett Curtis is a Louisiana-based recruit. His team at Many High School in Louisiana scored a huge second win of the season versus Sam Houston, 38-3.

This was no ordinary game, and USC commit Tackett Curtis delivered a performance which was far greater than ordinary.

Pause so that you can brace yourself for this next fact:

Curtis had an insane game Friday night. Sure, he recorded five tackles, but he went crazy on special teams with three punt returns for touchdowns. Yes, three punt returns for touchdowns in one game for the four-star linebacker who will attend USC next fall.

Tackett could be one of the top players in the state of Louisiana and a potential Gatorade State Player of The Year candidate.

The 6-foot-2, 221-pound athlete is listed at linebacker and projected to be a linebacker next season at USC, but he plays all over the field for Many HS.

Curtis is currently ranked the 99th-best player in the 2023 class, the eighth-best linebacker, and the sixth-best player in the state of Louisiana.

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Former USC lineman Maximus Gibbs hits the transfer portal to join Jackson State

The season is starting, but the transfer portal never stops. There is more movement to keep track of at #USC. Deion Sanders will get a former Trojan.

Former St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.) lineman Maximus Gibbs has decided to transfer to Jackson State, according to 247Sports.com.

The 6-7, 385-pound lineman committed to USC in April of 2020, but has decided to transfer. Gibbs came to USC as a three-star offensive lineman in the 2021 signing class, but was switched to defensive lineman last season before going back to the offensive side of the ball.

At St. John Bosco High School in California, Gibbs was part of a national championship team as a junior. In his senior season, he was named to the MaxPreps All-State Second Team.

Gibbs entered college football as a three-star recruit. He received offers from Georgia, UCLA, Alabama, Texas A&M, Florida State, Arkansas and Boise State, among many others.

Gibbs started his freshman year on the offensive line but switched to defensive line midseason. While appearing in USC’s final eight games of 2021 (all but San Jose State, Stanford, Washington State, Oregon State), he had two tackles, including one for a loss of two yards.  He had a tackle against Arizona and a tackle for loss at Arizona State.

Gibbs was switched back to the offensive line in the offseason, but he entered the transfer portal in late August.

The lineman will be now playing for Deion Sanders and Jackson State this fall. Jackson State has been one of the most hyped teams in the FCS and the HBCU realm. They landed the No. 1 overall recruit in the nation last season, Travis Hunter, and are projected to go undefeated in 2022.

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USC commits get their chance to shine on national TV

You’ll get a chance to watch future Trojans Malachi Nelson and Makai Lemon this Saturday at 1 p.m. Pacific on ESPN2. Los Alamitos vs American Heritage is a top-tier game.

The ESPN High School Football Kickoff series returns for its 13th year this season. It runs from Thursday, Aug. 25 through Sunday, Aug. 28. The seven-game collection includes 28 players ranked in the ESPN 300 and ESPN Junior 300 and will receive coverage from the ESPN family of networks.

Of the ESPN 300 athletes participating, nine have already committed to top Division I college football programs, including Alabama and Georgia — last year’s championship game participants — and the USC Trojans.

Let’s look at the big matchup with USC commits involved. The game time listed is in Los Angeles for West Coast viewers.

Los Alamitos (Calif.) vs. American Heritage (Fla.)
Saturday, Aug. 27 at 1 p.m. on ESPN2 from Brian Piccolo Stadium in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.

Los Alamitos versus American Heritage is the headliner on Saturday. The game will follow St. Joseph’s Prep (Penn.) vs. St. Thomas Aquinas (Fla.), which will kick off at noon.

Los Alamitos has No. 2 recruit Malachi Nelson (QB) and No. 19 Makai Lemon (WR), who are both headed to USC next fall.

Los Alamitos is ranked No. 25 in the nation and fourth in the state of California. American Heritage is ranked 19th in the nation and fifth in the state of Florida.

Nelson and Lemon will have a lot of pressure on them this Saturday. American Heritage is already 1-0 with a 38-20 road win over Lowndes in Valdosta. Lowndes is a top-10 team in the state of Georgia.

Los Alamitos won in a 41-0 blowout over Garces (Bakersfield, Calif.) last week. Nelson, USC’s future five-star quarterback, put up 14 of 15 completions for 345 yards and 5 touchdowns in the first half.

Heritage’s secondary will be tested by Nelson and Lemon, but the team is loaded with top prospects in its own right: Damari Brown, Dameon Fagan, Shamar McNeil, and Corey Goldsby Jr.

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