USC addresses key position of need in adding Auburn OLB Romello Height

USC continues checking off major roster needs through the transfer portal, as Auburn outside linebacker/edge rusher Romello Height announced his transfer to the Trojans on Sunday morning.

Height is the 11th incoming transfer for USC, which has followed through on new coach Lincoln Riley's pledge to turn over a large chunk of the roster, as the Trojans have also had 16 scholarship players enter the portal since the season ended.

As for Height, he was a three-star prospect in the 2020 recruiting class out of Dublin, Ga., who held a USC offer at that time.

He joins a depth chart that had only one known scholarship outside linebacker -- oft-injured Eli'jah Winston -- prior to his addition, after losing Drake Jackson to the NFL draft and Hunter Echols and Juliano Falaniko to the transfer portal.

It remains to be seen how second-year five-star Korey Foreman fits in USC's new defensive scheme, whether he remains a true defensive end or slides into more of an OLB/edge rushing role.

Either way, the Trojans needed help at that spot and get it with Height.

Height had 3 tackles for loss and 18 total tackles over nine games in 2021 as a second-year player. He has three years of eligibility remaining.

It's been an especially busy week for the Trojans, who have added six incoming transfers since Tuesday.

Here's the full list of offseason transfer additions:

DT Earl Barquet (TCU)

OT Bobby Haskins (Virginia)

WR Terrell Bynum (Washington)

DT Tyrone Taleni (Kansas State)

WR Mario Williams (Oklahoma)

WR Brenden Rice (Colorado)

CB Mekhi Blackmon (Colorado)

CB Latrell McCutchin (Oklahoma)

RB Austin Jones (Stanford)

RB Travis Dye (Oregon)

OLB Romello Height (Auburn)