Five can't-miss prospects USC needs to land in its 2022 recruiting class

USC recruiting rebounded in a big way in the 2021 cycle as the Trojans ended National Signing Day on Wednesday at No. 8 in the Rivals rankings -- up 63 spots from their outlier 2020 class.

Getting recruiting back on track was only step one for the program, though -- now it's about building on that fresh momentum moving forward.

And the Trojans have a head start on that with an early commitment from 2022 5-star cornerback Domani Jackson -- the No. 2-ranked national prospect -- along with commitments from 4-star QB Devin Brown, 4-star cornerback Fabian Ross and 3-star offensive lineman Dylan Lopez.

Much work is left to do, though, and as the full focus turns to the 2022 class we highlight the five prospects -- beyond the current aforementioned commits -- who are must-gets for USC if the Trojans are going to push for an even higher finish in the recruiting rankings this cycle.

Earnest Greene is listed as an offensive guard on his Rivals profile, but he is being pursued by USC as a future left tackle, and with his wide frame/length and his elite athleticism he's proven himself at that position at a high level in high school.

Greene is the highest priority recruit for USC in this 2022 class and for good reason given his dominant tape and size. Ranked the No. 49 overall national prospect, he is one of the most fundamentally sound offensive linemen in this 2022 class nationally. At 6-foot-5, 310 pounds, he plays with very light feet, solid pad level and high athletic ability to be able to pull in the outside run game, plays with violent hands against opposing defensive linemen, and is an absolute mauler in general against his opposition.

At 0:53 on his sophomore highlight tape, Greene is the pulling offensive tackle coming from the right side. St. John Bosco runs a counter, Greene pulls in the scheme beautifully and seals the inside linebacker to open the running lane for the back for a touchdown. Greene shows a ton of explosiveness, athletic ability and power to create that lane for his running back to make a play. He finished with a clean pancake block as well which shows the level of physicality Greene plays with.

This is a can’t-miss prospect at a position of need for USC and someone the Trojans coaching staff absolutely needs to keep at home. They've struggled to win the recruiting battles for top offensive linemen in recent years, and the hope is that new OL coach Clay McGuire can make an impact in that regard. Greene also has a close relationship with USC 2021 OL signee Maximus Gibbs, his high school teammate. Gibbs has said that he will be recruiting Greene to come join him at USC.

If the Trojans can pull it off, it would be a major jolt to their 2022 class as a whole, as Greene has the traits of an All-American left tackle and he’s far beyond his years in his development as a prospect.

David Bailey is one of the more complete linebackers not only on the west coast but in the entire country. He's ranked as the No. 7 OLB nationally and for good reason at every bit of 6-foot-3, 220 pounds. He pairs an incredibly wide frame with his athleticism and will fill out nicely in a college weight room.

Bailey is dynamic enough as an athlete to be a difference-maker on the line of scrimmage as a pass rusher with his length and high motor, but also be a difference maker playing in space five yards off the football. He's a very instinctual linebacker and is consistently around the football making plays. With his length on the edge, he’s also a terrific pass rusher with his long arms and physical hand usage.

At 0:30 on his highlight tape, Bailey comes off the edge from a distance with flashy speed. He then feels out the halfback screen and reads the play for a tackle for loss beautifully. That ability to sniff out that screen and read and react to fly and make a play on the football showcases that aforementioned instinctual playmaking ability and also his elite athleticism.

Bailey is a prospect USC will hope to land and keep home to continue the Mater Dei pipeline to the program. With Jackson committed, expect him as he’s emphasized to be a major face of this 2022 recruiting class and be the ringleader for this cycle of Trojans -- starting with a couple of his high school teammates.

We’ve had multiple conversations with Bailey, and he’s emphasized USC as a “top 3” school in his recruitment, so the Trojans will indeed be in this one until the end.