USC Trojans

Top 10 Targets Left For 2017 USC Football Recruiting Class

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 2:09 p.m. ET

share

facebookxredditlink

Fansided, Alicia de Artola/FanSided via Reign of Troy

Nov 26, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Clay Helton greets fans during the Trojan Walk before a NCAA football game against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

With just over a week to finalize the 2017 USC football recruiting haul, the Trojans have 10 key targets who could make or break the class.

With enough success down the final stretch, the 2017 USC football recruiting class could end up mirroring the Trojans’ run through the 2016 season.

There were some shaky moments in the early going, but with a little momentum going in the right direction, things can turn around very quickly.

With Signing Day over a week away, the Trojans are set up to finish strong by landing some of the biggest fish remaining on the recruiting board.

Here’s a look at USC’s top 10 targets for the 2017 class heading towards Signing Day:

Josh Falo | Tight End

The four-star tight end out of Inderkum in Sacramento recently visited USC, giving the Trojans hope of competing for his signature.

Ranked as the No. 4 tight end in the class, Falo is a big receiving threat with great size and catching ability.

USC has done an excellent job recruiting the tight end position lately, and already have the commitment of three-star Erik Krommenhoek on board. However, Krommenhoek is more a replacement for the blocking-oriented Taylor McNamara. Both Daniel Imatorbhebhe and Tyler Petite will be eligible to depart for the NFL after the 2017 season.

Nabbing Falo in this class would be a good insurance policy to ensure USC continues to have talented receiving tight ends on the roster.

USC is in the running against Colorado and Oregon, with the Ducks currently holding the edge in the 247Sports crystal ball projections.

Falo will be committing to the university of his choice on Jan. 30, so the Trojans will know soon enough whether not they’ll be adding another dangerous tight end to the roster.

USC offensive line coach Neil Callaway during practice at Howard Jones Field. (Alicia de Artola/Reign of Troy)

Austin Jackson | Offensive Tackle

The Trojans already have four offensive linemen committed for the class of 2017, including tackles Alijah Vera-Tucker, Andrew Vorhees and Jalen McKenzie.

That doesn’t mean USC is done pursuing players at the position as the biggest get of the cycle hasn’t made his college decision just year.

Jackson is a 6-foot-6, 280-pound prospect out of Phoenix, Arizona and ranks among the nation’s top offensive linemen. He’s rated as the 35th-best player in the class by the 247Sports composite and checks in at No. 8 among tackles.

USC hosted Jackson back in November for the Notre Dame game and have remained in the race for his signature along with ASU and Washington.

Though Jackson lives in Arizona, his family has strong ties to the Trojans. His grandfather played for USC during national title runs in the 1970s.

Closing with not only a legacy, but a talented lineman who could help USC with offensive line depth immediately, is one of the priorities of the recruiting home stretch.

Jackson is set to announce his commitment on Feb. 1, the morning of National Signing Day.

USC football players practice at Howard Jones Field. (Alicia de Artola/Reign of Troy)

Greg Johnson | Athlete

A one-time Arizona commit, Johnson reopened his recruitment in early December, giving USC hope of landing the talented athlete.

In fact, Johnson is the top athlete in the country, per the 247Sports composite. He’s also ranked 102nd overall and 12th in California.

Athlete which certainly applies to Johnson. At Hawkins High School, he has served in just about every position, from quarterback to receiver and cornerback.

In college, Johnson is expected to stick to the defensive side of the ball, making him a valuable commodity for the Trojans, who are looking to bolster their cornerback ranks after the departure of Adoree’ Jackson.

Though Jack Jones and other Trojans already on campus are expected to fill the hole left by Jackson, the potential departure of Iman Marshall after the 2017 season means USC must continue to recruit the position hard. Landing a player of Johnson’s caliber in this class would accomplish that.

Johnson is slated to officially visit USC this weekend ahead of a decision sometime around Signing Day. He’ll be choosing between USC, Nebraska and Oregon.

USC defensive coordinator Clancy Pendergast during practice at Howard Jones Field. (Alicia de Artola/Reign of Troy)

Levi Jones | Linebacker

Jones is the No. 6 outside linebacker in the country, but USC could really use his help on the inside.

The Trojans are looking to add the 6-foot-3, 215 pound linebacker in 2017 to bolster a thin interior linebacker group, which loses starter Michael Hutchings and primary back up Quinton Powell.

With Jordan Iosefa, John Houston and Olajuwon Tucker set to compete for Hutchings’ starting job during spring camp, the four-star would be in line to earn immediate playing time in the rotation if he were to chose USC.

Of course, the Trojans also need to add depth on the outside as well, with limited options behind Uchenna Nwosu at strongside linebacker. That’s a role Jones could also fill, making him all the more valuable to USC.

At Westlake High School in Austin, Texas, Jones has tallied 219 tackles in two years, including 24 tackles for loss and 10 sacks.

Jones was on campus this past weekend for his official visit and is considering the Trojans along with Florida State and Florida. He will announce his decision on Signing Day.

USC defensive line coach Kenechi Udeze during practice at the LA Coliseum. (Alicia de Artola/Reign of Troy)

Javon Kinlaw | Defensive End

It’s no secret that USC is in need of defensive linemen, and Javon Kinlaw represents one of the more plug-and-play options the Trojans are pursuing in 2017.

Kinlaw is a four-star lineman, checking in at 6-foot-6, 305 pounds. He’s one of the top junior college prospects this cycle, ranking 11th nationally and 2nd among strong-side defensive ends in the 247Sports composite.

With his size and JC experience, Kinlaw would be an instant solution to USC’s problem with the loss of Stevie Tu’ikolovatu to graduation and Noah Jefferson to a transfer.

The Trojans hosted Kinlaw over the Jan. 13 weekend. Even though it was a good sign that Kinlaw cancelled his planned trip to Alabama, South Carolina will get the last crack at him on the final recruiting weekend of January.

The lineman de-committed from the Gamecocks back in November, but they remain the favorites to get his signature in the end since he hails from Goose Creek, South Carolina.

Kinlaw is set to announce his transfer decision the day before Signing Day, on Jan. 31. That’s when the Trojans will find out if they managed to entice the big prospect out of the South.

USC offensive coordinator Tee Martin during practice at the LA Coliseum. (Alicia de Artola/Reign of Troy)

Joseph Lewis | Wide Receiver

USC signed a huge receiver class in 2016, with the likes of Michael Pittman, Tyler Vaughns, Josh Imatorbhebhe, Trevon Sidney and Velus Jones joining the Trojans.

That haul hasn’t stopped the Trojans from going after yet another big receiving target from their backyard though.

Five-star receiver Joseph Lewis is a player USC hopes to add to the arsenal.

The Hawkins-product is the 31st best player in the 2017 class, as ranked by the 247Sports composite. He’s the No. 4 wide receiver in the country and the No. 6 player overall in California this year.

Landing Lewis with his ability to stretch the field downfield would be a major pick up even with the current wealth of receiving talent. Moreover, losing a local commit to Nebraska, like Keyshawn Johnson Jr., or Oregon is not something the Trojans ever want to happen.

Experts have viewed Lewis as a USC lean and with his official visit set for the final weekend of January, the Trojans will be the final voice in his ear and have a good shot to close the deal.

Lewis has yet to set a date for his college announcement, but it will presumably come on Signing Day.

USC football player Marvell Tell practices at Howard Jones Field. (Alicia de Artola/Reign of Troy)

Isaiah Pola-Mao | Safety

Clancy Pendergast loves his safeties to be big, physical specimens and Isaiah Pola-Mao fits the bill perfectly.

The 6-foot-4, 190-pound safety out of Phoenix, Arizona is the No. 14 player at his position for 2017. He’s also the No. 2 player in the state behind fellow USC target Austin Jackson.

There are questions surrounding USC’s pursuit of Pola-Mao, of course.

With the commitment of safety Bubba Bolden, the Trojans already have a player with similar measurables as Pola-Mao.

However, given the ability of both players, it looks like USC is still interested in doubling up on big-bodied safeties.

Though there are a number of safeties on the roster, the Trojans aren’t overloaded with players with the dimensions of Bolden and Pola-Mao. Marvell Tell III will be a junior this coming season with the possibility of leaving for the NFL while Jamel Cook will be a redshirt freshman. That leaves room for Pola-Mao and Bolden to become the next pair in line.

The Trojans recently got Pola-Mao to Los Angeles for an official visit. In fact, he released the list of his Top 3 schools on the Sunday morning during his trip to USC. Along with USC, he listed Washington and Arizona State among the schools he is still considering.

He will announce his commitment to one of those three programs this Friday, Jan. 27

USC defensive line coach Kenechi Udeze during practice at the LA Coliseum. (Alicia de Artola/Reign of Troy)

Aubrey Solomon | Defensive Tackle

Solomon is one of the highest rated players still in consideration for the Trojans and he happens to play a position of great need.

He also happens to be one of the 2017 recruiting cycle’s most difficult players to pin down.

Solomon was committed to Michigan last year but de-committed from the Wolverines in August after, but not necessarily because, his mother was sent a mailer thanking them for attending an event that they had not attended. The recruits’ name was also spelled wrong, adding to what Solomon viewed as an impersonal sign from the program.

Thanks to that mishap, USC was able to join the race for the Georgia-product, who is rated as the nation’s second-best defensive tackle and the No. 25 player in the class overall.

There’s no question that Solomon could help the Trojans straight away. Depth on the defensive line was already an issue for USC before graduation and transfers depleted the front even further.

The five-star could be assured of playing time right away in Troy, but stealing a recruit out of the south is never an easy proposition.

Along with Michigan, who remain in the running for Solomon’s signature, Alabama is hot on the trail.

The Trojans can at least take solace in the fact that Solomon came west for an official visit two weeks ago. But USC won’t know if they gained enough ground until the player announces.

January 2, 2017; Pasadena, CA, USA; Southern California Trojans defensive tackle Stevie Tu

Jay Tufele | Defensive Tackle

Priority No. 1 for USC as Signing Day approaches is shoring up the defensive line as much as possible, so it shouldn’t be a surprise that so many of the top targets remaining are linemen.

Tufele is another high-priority player in the trenches USC is hoping will be an instant contributor to help deal with the loss of Stevie Tu’ikolovatu and Noah Jefferson this year.

The four-star recruit out of Utah checks in at 6-foot-3, 297 pounds, big enough to fill a role for the Trojans on the defensive line in Year 1.

That is, of course, if he chooses to make USC his new home.

The Trojans have stiff competition from Utah, who will get Tufele’s final visit next week. Ohio State and Michigan are also in the running to land the coveted recruit.

However, USC hosted Tufele this weekend with the opportunity to sell him on the prospect of early playing time, strong academics and proven NFL success. The Trojans can also point to the success of Tu’ikolovatu, a Utah transfer and fellow Polynesian player, who earned Rose Bowl MVP honors earlier this month.

USC will find out how successful their pitch was on Signing Day.

USC defensive lineman Stevie Tu’ikolovatu during practice at the LA Coliseum. (Alicia de Artola/Reign of Troy)

Marlon Tuipulotu | Defensive Tackle

Last year, USC managed to flip four-star running back Vavae Malepeai from Oregon at the last minute by securing a surprise official visit ahead of Signing Day.

The Trojans are hoping that lightning can strike twice with the recruitment of Tuipulotu, a four-star defensive tackle.

USC hosted the long-time Washington commit for an official visit this weekend, a major and telling coup for the Trojans considering Husky head coach Chris Petersen’s well-known policy of discouraging committed players from visiting other schools.

More from Reign of Troy

Considering USC’s need on the defensive line, Tuipulotu would be a crown jewel in the 2017 class, as a 6-foot-2, 295 tackle capable of earning playing time immediately. He is rated as the No. 5 DT in the class by the 247Sports composite.

Moreover, stealing Tuipulotu away from a Pac-12 rival has its own implications.

Tuipulotu was expected to enroll early at Washington, so it’s possible that, if the flip is completed, he could attempt to enroll early in Los Angeles.

That added complication means his decision could be determined as early as this week, with the deadline to enroll at USC for the spring semester coming up on Friday. If not, Tuipulotu’s ultimate destination may not be revealed until Signing Day.

share

Get more from USC Trojans Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more

in this topic

USC Trojans