Commitment Analysis: What USC is getting in 4-star WR Michael Jackson III
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USC continued to check off boxes on its 2021 recruiting wish list, adding another big-time play-making wide receiver Wednesday as 4-star prospect Michael Jackson III announced his commitment to the Trojans.
That continues the program's impressive spring as the coaching staff has been able to close the deal with many of its top targets.
In the case of Jackson, the high-upside WR from Desert Springs High School in Las Vegas, Nev., he joins top-25 national prospect Quaydarius Davis as WR commits in a class where USC is hoping to land three prospects at the position.
We take a closer look at what Jackson's commitment means for the Trojans, take a look inside the film room and Rivals analyst Adam Gorney gives his scouting report.
RELATED: Full story on Michael Jackson III's USC commitment decision
What it means for USC
As we've been teasing over on the Trojan Talk message board, this is expected to not only be a big week but a huge month for USC recruiting.
The Trojans are already comfortable in the top 5 of the Rivals recruiting rankings, but they have a legitimate shot to finish as the No. 2 or 3 class nationally after -- as everyone knows -- tying for 65th in the 2020 cycle.
That head coach Clay Helton and his retooled coaching staff have been able to render 2020 as an outlier already has far exceeded most expectations -- while getting USC recruiting back to its traditional standards and expectations.
To update the numbers, Jackson is the 15th commit and 10th Rivals250 commit. For perspective, when the Trojans finished with the No. 3 overall class in the 2018 cycle, they had 15 Rivals250 signees.
But this USC class is far from done, and again, more good news is expected this week and later int he month.
As for Jackson's commitment, he and Davis -- the 4-star WR from Dallas, Texas -- give USC two major commits at the WR position. USC would like to sign three receivers overall.
The position wasn't one of the most pressing needs in this cycle, but the Trojans have done well to keep restocking top talent at WR and that looks to be continuing.
Veteran Tyler Vaughns will wrap up a successful USC career this coming season and Amon-Ra St. Brown could be heading to the NFL as well after his upcoming junior campaign, but with Drake London, Bru McCoy, Kyle Ford, Gary Bryant Jr., Munir McClain, Joshua Jackson Jr. and John Jackson III all entering their second or first seasons, the depth remains strong projecting into 2021 -- especially with Davis and Michael Jackson III.
Meanwhile, here's the overall snapshot of this USC recruiting class as it stands: Davis (ranked the No. 23 national prospect), 4-star QB Jake Garcia (No. 25), 4-star QB Miller Moss (No. 91), 4-star OLB Ma'a Gaoteote (No. 93), 4-star ATH/LB Julien Simon (No. 108), 4-star S Calen Bullock (No. 119), 4-star RB Brandon Campbell (No. 173), 4-star safety Anthony Beavers (No. 199), 4-star S Xamarion Gordon (No. 228), Jackson (No. 234), 4-star DT Jay Toia, 3-star OL Maximus Gibbs, Mason Murphy and Mapakaitolo, and 3-star DE Colin Mobley.
Film Room
Rivals analyst Adam Gorney's scouting report
Michael Jackson III got the bump from 3-star to 4-star status in the recent Rivals rankings update. What was the biggest factor in that?
Gorney: "The jury was still out heading into this offseason about where he should be ranked, but then after seeing him at a bunch of camps, including ours, it was clear that he was a 4-star receiver. I think he has the potential to even move higher the more we see him. He's a kid who's super explosive, great hands, great route runner. He doesn't slow down, he's doing a great job setting up defensive backs, creating space and then catching everything thrown his way. His recruitment has taken off -- everybody's gotten involved, everybody's now interested in him -- but on the field he's super dynamic and fast, catches everything and is a fantastic route runner so he can get open against anybody."
What do you think was the catalyst for his recruitment taking off as it has?
Gorney: "First, he has coaches at his high school who are very aggressive at getting their players noticed, so that helps. But once coaches really kind of said, all right, who is this kid, let's watch some tape, it's hard not to be impressed by what he does. He's a kid who can be in the slot and get open easily, he's a kid who can line up outside and run by defensive backs or set them up for other kinds of routes and get open. So I think a lot of college coaches who were at Desert Pines last year were focused on Darnell Washington and getting Darnell and they kind of forgot that Michael Jackson was a really talented receiver who could do a lot of things. So I think especially in camp settings when he's dealing with really talented quarterbacks throwing him the ball, he's a kid that can really maximize his ability and show it the most because it's hard for defensive backs to stay with him."
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