Tag: usc trojans football recruiting

Elijah Vaicona is exactly what USC football needs right now

Elijah Vaicona would not only give USC a quality offensive tackle; he would require less developmental work.

Offensive tackle Elijah Vaicona, a 6-foot-8, 368-pound powerhouse from the 2025 class, has caught the attention of several schools in the West. With seven former Pac-12 schools already offering him scholarships, Vaicona has emerged as a highly sought prospect. USC is very much in the mix for Vaicona, which is very encouraging and a sign that Josh Henson means business in recruiting.

“He’s had a busy spring, collecting most of his bigger offers in the last couple of months;” Bruin Report Online explained.  “He unofficially visited Washington’s campus while he was in Seattle for the Under Armour Next Camp and he was offered in person by the UW staff. He’s also gotten some interest from the likes of Ohio State and USC.”

Recently, USC extended a scholarship offer to Vaicona just two days after UCLA did. The Trojans have shown a clear preference for massive offensive linemen, as evidenced by their recent official visit with 6-foot-8, 288-pound Aaron Dunn. Some pundits believe USC is the frontrunner for Dunn’s services in 2025. In the previous class, USC signed Hayden Treter, a 6-foot-7, 330-pound guard from Colorado, alongside two 6-7 tackles from the 2023 class, Elijah Paige and Tobias Raymond.

It is evident that USC is making a conscious effort to increase the size of its offensive line, and Vaicona fits perfectly into that strategy. Head coach Lincoln Riley went out of his way to state that the decision to get bigger was a necessity to play championship football, whether the Trojans entered the Big Ten or not.  Either way, the Trojans are continuing this trend with their latest offer.

In the ongoing recruiting process, it remains to be seen which schools will make Vaicona’s final list. While he expressed a desire to make a decision before August, it has to be noted that in this linked article, Vaicona hinted that he might extend his evaluation period, possibly due to the anticipation of receiving new offers. With several Power Four schools expected to join the competition before December, the race for Vaicona’s signature promises to heat up.

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USC football 2022-2023 early signing period tracker: the latest Trojan commitments

We will add names to this list as the early signing period moves toward national signing day in February of 2023. Stay tuned. Refresh. Update. #USC

It’s that time of year: The early signing period is here.

When we went to bed on the night of Tuesday, Dec. 20, USC football had 20 commitments for the Class of 2023. The Trojans are trying to maximize the value of their first full recruiting cycle in the Lincoln Riley era. Riley had to hit the ground running 12 months ago and scramble to assemble a recruiting class. This is the first year in which Riley and his operations team had a chance to map out a complete plan and zero in on prime targets.

As the names keep coming in, we’ll update them. Stay tuned for more additions to this list as the signing period continues through national signing day in February of 2023:

Georgia football looking to flip five-star DT

Will Mykel Williams and other USC Trojans class of 2022 commitments stick with the program after Clay Helton’s firing?

The Georgia Bulldogs were among the schools seeking a commitment from elite defensive tackle recruit Mykel Williams, but Williams committed to the USC Trojans in June.

Now, things have changed with the USC football program following their rough 42-28 loss to Stanford. The Trojans fired head coach Clay Helton, who has been on the hot seat for a long time, following the loss.

Who will be the next head coach of the Southern California Trojans? Georgia’s Dan Lanning could be a target with the way the UGA defense has played in 2021. Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Will Mykel Williams and other USC Trojans class of 2022 commitments stick with the program? USC has a lot of allure regardless of their coach, but the program will be in transition and hasn’t performed up to standards in recent seasons.

Mykel Williams is a five-star defensive tackle from Columbus, Georgia, who stars for Hardaway High School.

The Georgia defense has been extremely impressive to start the 2021 college football season. UGA has displayed a powerful recruiting message on the defensive side of the field. The Bulldogs defense has more sacks (10) and points off defensive touchdowns (14) than points allowed (three). Georgia’s lone touchdown given up this season was a pick-six.

At Hardaway, Mykel Williams has played both offensive and defensive line. He is a sack artist that shows explosive closing speed on defense. Williams has positional versatility along the defensive line, where he lines up at defensive tackle and defensive end. Williams does a solid job of getting his hands up in passing lanes to deflect passes. He should earn early playing time in college.

Williams committed to USC over Alabama, Clemson, Ohio State, LSU, Penn State, Arizona State, Georgia Tech, Kentucky and Georgia.

The 6-foot-5, 255-pound Williams is ranked the No. 5 defensive lineman in the nation and No. 3 player in Georgia according to the 247Sports composite. Williams is expected to continue taking visits this fall.

Can Kirby Smart and company land a commitment from the talented in-state defensive lineman? We will provide updates as Mykel Williams re-evaluates his recruitment following USC’s coaching change.

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Four-star CB Isaiah Johnson makes commitment

Georgia Bulldogs recruiting target Isaiah Johnson has committed to the Arizona State Sun Devils.

The University of Georgia offered a scholarship to defensive back Isaiah Johnson back in September. Johnson is a lengthy defender (6-foot-2), who would excel in Dan Lanning’s defensive scheme in Athens.

Unfortunately for the Bulldogs, Johnson has committed to the Arizona State Sun Devils.

Johnson is a four-star recruit who is rated as a five-star on some sites.  He is a member of the class of 2021. Johnson played football at Bluefield High School in West Virginia, but recently transferred to St. Bernard High School in Playa Del Rey, California.

Johnson put the Georgia Bulldogs, Arizona State Sun Devils, USC Trojans, LSU Tigers and Oklahoma Sooners in his top five. Now, he’s headed to Tempe.

Johnson missed his junior season of high school with an ankle injury, but could be in for a big season in 2020 (if high school football is played). In fact, California high school football has already been pushed into the spring of 2021.

The Bulldogs recruiting class currently features 11 commitments. UGA has a five star and eight four stars in the talented class. Georgia’s latest commitment is Jared Wilson, who has had an odyssey of a recruiting journey.

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Georgia football in top schools for elite DB

Cornerback Isaiah Johnson is a four-star recruit he’s put the Georgia Bulldogs, USC Trojans, Oklahoma Sooners, and more in his top schools.

The University of Georgia offered a scholarship to defensive back Isaiah Johnson back in September. Johnson is a lengthy defender (six-foot-two), who would excel in Dan Lanning’s defensive scheme in Athens.

Cornerback Isaiah Johnson is a four-star recruit and is rated as a five-star on some sites.  He is a member of the class of 2021. Johnson played football at Bluefield High School in West Virginia, but has recently transferred to St. Bernard High School in Playa Del Rey, California.

Johnson released his top schools via Twitter. He puts the Georgia Bulldogs, Arizona State Sun Devils, USC Trojans, LSU Tigers, and Oklahoma Sooners in his top five. We’ll track the latest developments throughout his recruitment.

Johnson missed his junior season of high school with an ankle injury, but could be in for a big season in 2020 (if high school football is played). In fact, California high school football has already been pushed into the spring of 2021.

The Bulldogs recruiting class currently features ten commitments. UGA has a five-star and eight four-stars in the talented class. Georgia’s latest commitment is CJ Washington, an in-state prospect that’s a member of the class of 2022.

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Huge OT Maximus Gibbs sets final schools

Three-star offensive tackle recruit Maximus Gibbs is considering the USC Trojans, Alabama Crimson Tide, Georgia Bulldogs, and more.

Three-star offensive tackle recruit Maximus Gibbs is normally the biggest guy in the room. That will remain the case in most offensive line rooms when Gibbs decides what college he wants to attend.

Gibbs, a member of the class of 2021, is 6-6 and weighs 370 pounds. His size would slate him as arguably the biggest offensive lineman at Georgia. UGA is known for having some of the largest offensive lines in the country, but Gibbs would take it to another level.

Gibbs plays high school football at powerhouse St. John Bosco in Bellflower, California. St. John Bosco was home to NFL quarterback Josh Rosen.

Maximus Gibbs released his final seven schools via Twitter:

Gibbs will decide between USC, Texas A&M, Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, and Nebraska. Where will Gibbs go next? He’s been recently offered a scholarship by the Georgia Bulldogs:

The USC Trojans are considered front-runners for Gibbs, but you can never rule out Kirby Smart and the Dawgs, who are coming off a big week in recruiting. Additionally, Nick Saban and the Alabama Crimson Tide are excellent recruiters as well.

We’ll keep you updated throughout Maximus Gibbs’s recruitment. Go Dawgs!

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