USC football recruiting roundup


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The college football season came to a close Monday after Georgia’s historic 65-7 beatdown of Texas Christian University at SoFi Stadium. The good times will keep on rolling for Athens’ back-to-back champs, but an offseason of introspection awaits TCU and the rest of college football. While the USC Trojans avoided a similar national TV drubbing, a 15-point collapse to Tulane at the Cotton Bowl didn’t look much better on small screens across the country. 

Missed tackles doomed the Trojans at the Pac-12 Championship, and a porous run defense couldn’t even come close to stopping the Green Wave’s Tyjae Spears one month later. The offense will need to reload as well, with All-American wideout Jordan Addison and star running back Travis Dye leaving for the NFL. Here’s who USC is bringing in.

5-Stars

Malachi Nelson: The heir-apparent to the reigning Heisman’s throne, Nelson comes in as the No. 2 quarterback in the nation, just behind UT Austin commit Arch Manning. Equipped with a 6’3” frame and a strong arm, Nelson threw for 35 touchdowns and just 4 interceptions last fall for Los Alamitos High School. A year of learning under the nation’s top college quarterback will make sure he and the offense keep on rolling for the foreseeable future.

Zachariah Branch: Track-level speed. NFL-level catching. Branch profiles as an elite route-runner on Day One, able to leave his defenders in the dust early in the play. He also shines on special teams, recently scoring a 93-yard punt return at the Under Armour All-American game. 

Makai Lemon: Malachi Nelson will have one of his top targets back in Lemon, an intriguing two-way option. Lemon starred as a wide receiver and cornerback for Los Alamitos, displaying elite quickness on both sides of the ball. His ability to accelerate and decelerate allows him to create wide separation from defenders and close gaps in space.

4-Stars

Braylan Shelby: A much-needed reinforcement on the defensive front, Shelby checks in as the No. 8 edge rusher in the country. A late-riser, Shelby flew up recruiting rankings last fall to become USC’s 4th top-100 recruit. Shelby’s athleticism allows him to step out and be a factor in defending the passing game.

Tackett Curtis: Named Louisiana’s Mr. Football earlier this month, Curtis became the first winner of the award to choose USC since Joe McKnight, USC’s highest-ever graded recruit. He’s got big shoes to fill, but Lincoln Riley is a believer. “I think he’s the best inside linebacker in the country,” Riley said. “There’s not one I would take over him.”

Quinten Joyner: A running back out of Texas, Joyner combines strength and speed to devastating effect. Impressive marks on the 100m and shotput tell the story of an athlete who could be ready to run downhill in the Pac-12 from the start. Joyner will join a suddenly-crowded running back room and will have to excel in practice to see the field over a few returners and newcomers.

Elijah Paige: A 6’7”, 304 pound offensive tackle out of Phoenix, Arizona Page turned down Notre Dame and UCLA in favor of USC, so he should be a quick fan favorite.

Maliki Crawford: A cornerback out of Oxnard, California, Crawford is a high-upside player that could develop into one of the nation’s top defensive players in the coming years. Above-average height and length will allow him to break up passes from farther away than most corners.

A’Marion Peterson: A strong player who punches holes in defenses as a running back, Peterson turned down Alabama for the Trojans. He likes to bounce off tackles and could be part of a one-two punch of runners alongside fellow 2023 commit Quinten Joyner.

Notable Transfers

MarShawn Lloyd: Coming in from the University of South Carolina, Lloyd will serve as a physical, SEC-tested running back at the top of the depth chart. After running for 9 touchdowns last season, Lloyd will be hungry to add to his tally in the wide-open USC offense.

Dorian Singer, Kyon Barrs and Christian Roland-Wallace: A trio of Arizona standouts cross the Pac-12 to join the Trojans on both sides of the ball. Singer led the league in receiving yards last season, Rolland-Wallace will help replace the departing Mekhi Blackmon as cornerback and Barrs will add another All-Pac-12 performer to the defensive line.

Mason Cobb: He led Oklahoma State in tackles and tackles for loss and will likely be a foundational piece for the defense in the fall. Cobb had a huge game in the trenches against CFP also-rans TCU in mid-October, tallying 16 tackles.