Previewing USC's second big weekend of official visits
USC hosted four key targets on official visits two weekends ago, but the 2024 recruiting cycle really heats up for the Trojans this weekend with a dozen prospects expected on campus for official visits.
A top-100 standout at running back, two of the Trojans' top cornerback targets, five notable prospects visiting from the East Coast and several offensive line targets fill out the list.
While many recruits will wait until the end of this month of official visits before making final decisions, it is officially commitment season and they can happen at any time.
Let's take a closer look at the big recruiting weekend ahead for the Trojans and the key prospects making their way to Los Angeles.
USC running backs coach Kiel McDonald does an especially good job recruiting the state of Texas, signing a pair of four-star Lone Star State running backs last cycle in Quinten Joyner and A'Marion Peterson and already landing one commitment so far this class from the state in four-star RB Bryan Jackson.
So it's no surprise that the Trojans are a contender for one of Texas' best running backs, four-star Rivals100 talent Taylor Tatum.
We'll get a clearer sense for where USC stands with Tatum after this weekend, but he also has official visits set up with Oklahoma and Michigan while Georgia, Texas and Texas A&M are in play as well. The sense among our Rivals analysts is that USC and Oklahoma are the favorites entering the month with the Wolverines close behind.
USC would like to sign two running backs in this class, given the possibility that it could lose three backs after the 2023 season, and Tatum is top of the wish list right now.
The Trojans staff got a good look at Tatum last year while recruiting his teammate, four-star wide receiver Jalen Hale (who ultimately signed with Alabama). Tatum averaged 8.9 yards per carry while rushing for 1,840 yards and 33 touchdowns (plus 3 receiving TDs) in 13 games, per MaxPreps.
Two of USC's top cornerback targets return to campus this weekend. Mater Dei's Zabien Brown and Gardena Serra's Dakoda Fields know the program well already, so this would ideally be a closing-the-deal type of weekend for the staff.
Brown is hard to read as he doesn't say much at all about his recruitment. Alabama and Ohio State could be obstacles here, but it's not clear where he stands on their respective recruiting boards. USC should have a good shot, with Oregon as the other West Coast challenger.
"USC kind of speaks for itself. I already know the kind of tradition and stuff like that they got going on there," Brown told TrojanSports.com last month.
As for Fields, his recruitment looks like yet another USC-Oregon battle, as he'll visit the Ducks later this month while also targeting an OV to Miami. He's set to make his decision on Aug. 6, his birthday, so don't expect any finality anytime soon.
What USC has working in its favor is Fields' relationship with DBs coach Donte Williams, which goes back a couple years now.
"He's going to be real. He's not going to sugarcoat anything. I actually took a visit there [in early April] and got to sit in the DB room. Even though there was recruits in there, he was coaching like how he would coach," Fields told TrojanSports.com. "... I definitely rock with Donte. I like just the way he's been able to develop the amount of DBs he has."
They key this weekend for Fields will be building a stronger connection with defensive coordinator Alex Grinch.
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