Coveted 2022 DE Anthony Lucas calls USC 'one of the top teams on my mind'

Anthony Lucas, a 2022 defensive end from Chaparral High School in Scottsdale, Ariz., may be rated as a 3-star prospect presently, but he's being recruited like one of the top defensive linemen out west.

Lucas has 18 offers, including most of the Pac-12, but also some Big Ten and Big 12 heavyweights along with Notre Dame.

And most of those schools are in consistent communication with the 6-foot-5, 285-pound standout. That includes USC, led by defensive line coach Vic So'oto.

"We talk a lot. They always reach out and I talk to them on the phone pretty much weekly," Lucas told TrojanSports.com this week. "It's a pretty good [relationship]. He's always reaching out trying to send me motivational stuff every week, like before games."

The bottom line is Lucas feels like a priority for the Trojans with the way they've approached his recruitment even at this early juncture.

"I'm thinking [they want me] a lot because it's like almost all the coaches try to reach out to me like at least once a day. It's not just Coach Vic, but he's the one I usually talk to," he said.