Commitment Analysis: USC adds to WR haul with intriguing Ja'Kobi Lane

USC didn't offer wide receiver Ja'Kobi Lane until Aug. 1, and yet it still wasn't hard to see why the Trojans chose to get involved.

Lane, from Red Mountain HS in Mesa, Ariz., is 6-foot-5 and has been a standout at every 7-on-7 tournament and event he's competed in this year, often looking like a prospect whose potential exceeded his offer list.

The Trojans were going to be content not to reach for a third wide receiver in this class, happy with five-star Zachariah Branch and four-star fellow Rivals100 WR commit Makai Lemon.

But Lane isn't a reach, and reeling in his commitment Friday is a nice get for USC.

He's the 17th overall commit in this class for USC and the first from Arizona.

As for why it took the Trojans this long to get formally involved, well, that's another story (which we'll get at later in this piece).

We break down Lane's commitment from all angles, including a scouting report from Rivals national recruiting director Adam Gorney.

RELATED: Ja'Kobi Lane explains why USC was the right choice for him

Assuming all the commitments hold, this should do it at wide receiver for the Trojans in this class.

Lane will also bring much-needed size to USC's wide receiver unit, as many of the playmakers the Trojans have brought in recent years (including Branch and Lemon) are on the shorter side or more traditional fits in the slot. Lane is a prototypical 6-foot-5 outside receiver.

It's safe to assume that USC will always be strong at this position as long as Lincoln Riley is around. For that matter, it was one area they continued to recruit well even with the previous regime.

As such, the Trojans are absolutely loaded for future years here.

Jordan Addison will likely move on after this season along with Terrell Bynum, but the rest of the Trojans' WR cast should all be back in 2023 not accounting for any potential transfers (which could certainly happen with the depth of talent here).