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Recruiting Roundtable: Perspective on USC's Early Signing Period

Four-star offensive tackle Mason Murphy headlines USC's 2021 offensive line class.
Four-star offensive tackle Mason Murphy headlines USC's 2021 offensive line class. (Ryan Young/TrojanSports.com)

The Early Signing Period hasn't had the traditional full-spotlight buildup it normally gets because most teams in college football are still playing, and in USC's case the Trojans are preparing for the Pac-12 championship game on Friday.

But nonetheless, Wednesday is a huge day for every college football program, as most of the coveted prospects around the country will sign their National Letters of Intent and lock in their college plans.

We have an in-depth breakdown of everything USC fans should be watching for Wednesday. Read that here.

Meanwhile, the TrojanSports.com team held a roundtable discussion on the 10 biggest USC recruiting storylines. Here's how we see things entering Wednesday:

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1. What's the storyline you're most interested in this Early Signing Period for USC?

Ryan Young: It almost seems a cop-out to say Korey Foreman, but it's clearly Korey Foreman. The Trojans have a legitimate chance to reel in a 5-star prospect who has been ranked between the No. 1 and No. 3 national recruit in this 2021 class. It literally doesn't get any bigger than that, and if USC can land the defensive end from Corona Centennial, it transforms this class from very good to maybe a top-5 national signing class. Of course, we aren't going to get this answer this week -- at least not if Foreman's plans go as hoped. He is signing with his school of choice Wednesday, but he doesn't plan to announce his decision until Jan. 2 during the live All-American Bowl presentation on NBC. I've said it elsewhere, I'll say it again here -- I won't be surprised by any outcome. It does seem like USC has done everything it can to maximize its recruiting pitch. The 5-0 season has helped greatly, the attacking style of the defense and the consistent sack numbers the Trojans have put up have gotten Foreman's attention. And USC has always had the appeal of proximity and comfort. But Foreman really likes Clemson. And he really likes the NFL experience of the Arizona State coaching staff. And he really wanted to play with fellow 5-star DL Maason Smith, who seems headed to either LSU or Georgia. It seems like USC checks the most boxes right now, but Foreman's recruitment has been full of twists and turns and we can only feel cautiously optimistic about the Trojans' chances until it's official (and public).

Alec Simpson: The storyline I’m most interested in during this early signing period is the final decision of 4-star quarterback Jaxson Dart. Things certainly look good here for the Trojans and it will be intriguing to see where he officially announces Wednesday morning at 9:15 am PT on ESPN2. Dart is a quarterback prospect I’ve been high on even before he started his senior season at Corner Canyon HS (in Utah), and it’s been exciting to watch his recruitment take off the way it has in such a short timeframe. He went from a 3-star quarterback prospect to now being one of the top gunslingers in this 2021 class as the No. 5 dual-threat QB nationally. Dart reminds me a lot of current USC quarterback Kedon Slovis with his ability to stay calm in the pocket and go through his progressions amidst pressure coming at him from all angles. Things are definitely leaning USC for Dart and we will have a final answer Wednesday morning.

2. What's the most underrated storyline of the week?

Ryan: It feel like 3-star WR Joseph Manjack, out of Houston, Texas, is getting no buzz from USC fans. But he became a major priority for the Trojans in recent months. He's not simply depth filler for this class -- he's a prospect USC honed in on sometime this fall as Manjack was putting up video game stats for an unbeaten team and has pursued aggressively since. The fact that Manjack decommitted from Washington State last month as his USC recruitment was heating up looked to be a good sign for the Trojans. We're expecting he picks USC on Wednesday, and if he does the 6-foot-3 playmaker will be a significant addition.

Alec: I’d say the most underrated storyline of this week is 3-star wide receiver and former Washington State commit Joseph Manjack. This young man has really kept his recruitment quiet as his high school team has been battling throughout the playoffs for a state championship in Texas. Manjack is a high-priority prospect for USC and someone they’ve been pursuing heavily over the last couple of months. He’s a difference-maker in the vertical game and does a nice job of creating separation against defensive backs. Manjack has proved throughout his senior year that he’s a Pac-12 guy and is ready to make his presence felt on the West Coast. This is certainly a signee to keep an eye out for during signing day. It’s time for the West to wake up on Joseph Manjack.

3. What are your predictions for Korey Foreman, Jaxson Dart and Ceyair Wright?

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