This may not end up being the best recruiting cycle overall for USC. The Trojans have missed on a number of top local targets and are scrambling a bit to try to maximize the remaining potential for this class.
But they scored a big addition Wednesday as 4-star linebacker Ralen Goforth (St. John Bosco HS) announced live on FOX Sports West that he's signing with the Trojans.
He had also been considering UCLA, where his brother Randall Goforth was a cornerback from 2012-16, with Oregon and Vanderbilt other schools he looked at through the process.
"It's been a real emotional rollercoaster -- a lot of ups and downs, coaches. But really, I just appreciate it all, really," the younger Goforth said during the live broadcast, speaking of his recruiting process.
"Really just the family vibes that they have at USC, the tradition that they hold over there. It's really a high standard. Growing up in South LA, USC has always been the place to be so that's a place I really look forward to going in and help contributing to winning a 12th national title at USC."
In a subsequent phone interview, Goforth told TrojanSports.com that he only recently reached his final decision after wrapping up his official visits -- the last of which being to USC two weekends ago.
"Really, it was just recently. I had countless talk with my family. We talked multiple times about where I should go and what would be the best first for me, and really when I got done taking my visits I just reflected on everything," he said. "I had to reflect on what I felt on those visits, and at the end of the day USC was the best fit for me in my opinion. And I really look forward to coming in and helping this team."
Goforth starred at linebacker for one of the best high school teams in the country, tallying 103 tackles and 7 tackles for loss this season for St. John Bosco, which was ranked No. 1 in the USA Today national poll for much of the fall.
Goforth's instincts and penchant for always being around the football jump out when watching him play, and he said USC is looking at him as an inside linebacker.
"They like how I can go sideline to sideline, but they also are going to utilize my coverage skills," he said. "So at the end of the day I'm just really looking forward to bringing my specific skill set to this defense, and hopefully being a part of a high-ranked defense."
He becomes the third linebacker to join USC's 2019 class, along with 4-star ILB signee Maninoa Tufono (Punahou School/Honolulu, Hawaii) and 3-star commit Stanley Taufoou (Grace Brethren HS). It's not clear yet if Taufoou will work inside or outside.
As for Goforth, he told us a couple months ago that his family was a USC household growing up until his brother went to UCLA. It created an interesting choice for him.
He laughed on the phone when asked what input he got from his older brother.
"He was always putting his two cents in on UCLA, but at the end of the day he wanted me to go where I was best fit," Goforth said. "He's going to be put his opinion on UCLA as a Bruin, but at the end of day as brother he's going to tell me what to do and what is my best fit and just to do what I feel is right."
USC felt right to him for a number of reasons, including his relationship with the entire coaching staff.
"I can't even say one thing because on the visit it was just multiple things from the academic presentation with the networking that USC has, to the athletic strength and conditioning to the coaching staff and just everything about USC was pretty much a great fit for me and my family. And that's what made me choose them at the end of the day," he said.
While speaking on his decision during the live announcement, he also reiterated the Trojans' history and his excitement to now be a part of that.
The tradition that USC holds with guys that have come before me, I really look forward to continuing that legacy that they've already established," he said.
