After an almost 15-month shutdown of on-campus and off-campus recruiting, college programs can again begin to host prospects as the calendar flips to to June this week.
And USC has a full slate of visitors lined up this week, including some of their top targets in the 2022 class.
We have the full rundown of who is visiting and a closer look at where things stand with each prospect.
2022 prospects taking USC unofficial visits this week
Four-star wide receiver CJ Williams is taking an unofficial visit on Wednesday, but because he presently doesn't expect to take a USC official visit this trip is pivotal for the Trojans.
Williams will take official visits to Texas and Notre Dame later in June while also visiting Stanford and UCLA unofficially this month. Ohio State is locked in for an official visit sometime in the fall, and then he expects to use his other two OVs on either Florida, Georgia or Alabama.
Williams is one of two elite local receivers, along with Servite's Tetairoa McMillan, that are top overall priorities for the Trojans in this class, and this visit will go a long way to establishing USC's standing in his recruitment as he'll be accompanied by his family and expects to spend the full day on campus.
"I think just being there in person and seeing how they interact with my parents, my siblings is big for me, and seeing how they interact with me as far as the players that are already there, some of the recruits they're going to have on campus when I'm back there for unofficials during the year, just all that goes into it," he said. "... I think June 2 is really going to be a big role in my recruiting."
Four-star Rivals100 outside linebacker David Bailey also visited USC on Wednesday with his Mater Dei teammate.
Bailey is one of the Trojans' top priorities at any position in this class, and USC continues to look like a top contender along with Stanford, though Bailey still wants to get a look at fellow in-state programs Cal, UCLA and will possibly get up to Oregon and Washington at some point.
He went in-depth with us after his visit Tuesday, sharing that he actually plans to return to USC again next week to spend more time with defensive coordinator Todd Orlando.
USC is looking to sign two running backs in this class and its strongest lead right now is four-star Jovantae Barnes, out of Las Vegas, Nev. He confirmed for us that he'll be on campus June 5 for an unofficial visit.
The Trojans have made Barnes feel like a priority in this recruiting cycle and it also helps that his former high school teammate and close friend Michael Jackson III is already in the program, having made a strong impression as a freshman this spring.
Here's what Barnes told us earlier this spring about where things stand with USC ...
"Coach Jinks and Coach Helton they let me know straight up I'm their No. 1 running back. They call me every week, about three times a week to check up on me. The whole coaching staff is close to me, even the quarterbacks coach and corners coach. I get on the phone with them and they just let me know I'm their No. 1 running back and they want me to come up there and do the job they expect me to do and fill in a spot and they feel it's a great opportunity for me," Barnes said. "They keep reminding me they have senior running backs and junior running backs and most of them are going to leave."
USC's top competition looks to be Oklahoma, where he's built a strong connection with running backs coach DeMarco Murray, who is also from Las Vegas. But the Trojans look to be in a very good position here.
2022 prospects taking USC official visits this weekend
Five-star offensive lineman Devon Campbell, from Arlington, Texas, is one of the headliners of the weekend official visitors.
It's no secret that USC has struggled to attract highly-ranked offensive line prospects in recent years and that the position is once again a top priority, with the Trojans looking to sign four linemen this cycle.
Pulling in a five-star out-of-state talent would be quite a statement for new offensive line coach Clay McGuire, but that's going to require the program truly wowing him on his official visit this week.
USC made Campbell's top 8 list back in February and the fact the Trojans are getting a visit means they have a chance. But there has been strong buzz for months about Texas keeping the standout in-state, while Oklahoma also has an official visit set for June and LSU and Texas A&M could get visits as well.
Campbell isn't expected to make a decision until much later in the recruiting process, so anything can happen, but USC has a lot of work to do in this case.
Four-star running back Gavin Sawchuk, out of Highlands Ranch, Colo., has four official visits planned for June as of now, starting with USC this weekend to be followed by Ohio State, Oklahoma and Notre Dame.
Of that group, Oklahoma again seems to be producing the most buzz with Murray making a strong impression on Sawchuk.
With USC looking to sign two running backs in this class, there are another five running backs aside from Barnes in the mix with that list expanding further last week when the Trojans offered Oklahoma State commit Ollie Gordon (Euless, Texas).
At this point, it would be a surprise if USC pulled in Sawchuck -- the No. 2 overall RB in the class -- but the Trojans will try to improve their odds with a strong impression this weekend. He was interested enough to take a self-guided tour of campus back in March and is now returning for a more thorough look at the school and program, so anything is possible.
Sawchuk talked last week to Rivals' Mike Singer about each of his presumed finalists. Here's what he said about USC:
“I was able to visit out there this spring. I wasn’t really too sold on USC, but I’ve been talking to the coaches and kept building the relationship. I love the family atmosphere there and the connection we’ve built," he said. "I loved the campus and the whole feel of it. I’m excited to see what it’s like there when I’m able to meet the coaches and go in the facilities.”
