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.
Blessed to have received an offer from the University of Southern California! Thank you @Coach_Henson and @LincolnRiley! #AG2G pic.twitter.com/fJv5rBKShF
— Elijah (@elijah_vaikona) June 14, 2024
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