The USC Trojans will take the field on Saturday at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum against San Jose State.
Lincoln Riley and the Trojans are 30-point favorites against the Spartans and are looking to use this game to get some experience for first-year starters and freshmen.
The USC 2023 recruiting class was ranked eighth by 247Sports, and could be ready to make an immediate impact.
A recent list from ESPN’s Tom Luginbill ranked some of the top freshmen in the country, and three Trojans made the list. Here is a rundown of USC’s top first-year players.
The Trojans have three players who made the list: tight end Duce Robinson, wide receiver Zachariah Branch, and linebacker Tackett Curtis.
Branch is the No. 1 wide receiver in the country for the class of 2023, per the 247Sports composite rankings.
Curtis could make an impact starting at linebacker for USC’s defense. The Trojans struggled at times in 2022, giving up an average of 45 points per game in the three losses they suffered last season.
Robinson, according to the 247Sports composite, is a five-star recruit and the No. 1 ranked tight end in the nation. He is the No. 1 player in the state of Arizona and the No. 17 recruit in the nation.
Coach Lincoln Riley & USC just LOADED UP on skill position talent in the ‘23 Class:
5⭐️ WR Zach Branch (4 NATL, 1 WR)
5⭐️ QB Malachi Nelson (11 NATL, 5 QB)
5 ⭐️ TE Duce Robinson (23 NATL, 1 TE)
4 ⭐️ WR Makai Lemon (37 NATL, 6 WR) + more
All https://t.co/ISHvjIiMa4… pic.twitter.com/qDEDvlFFNG
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) March 31, 2023
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