BREAKING: New USC DL commit Jamar Sekona goes in-depth on decision

USC landed its third defensive lineman and 10th commit overall in its 2020 recruiting class as 3-star DT Jamar Sekona tweeted out his decision Tuesday night.

Sekona, from Marin Catholic High School in Kentfield, Calif., in the northern part of the state, has held a Trojans offer since his sophomore year, but the momentum between he and the program really started to pick up this spring and summer.

He visited USC on Saturday for its TrojanMade Day, his first visit to campus since he was a sophomore, and that effectively sealed his decision.

"It definitely helped. ... I defintiely knew going to 'SC there was a possiblity. I was coming close to the end of the summer, but at the same time I didn't want to rush the decision," Sekona told TrojanSports.com soon after his announcement. "Being able to go through that tour and hear all these things, it just felt right. I think I made the right decision. I [know] I made the right decision."

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USC inside linebackers coach/recruiting coordinator Johnny Nansen was the coach to offer Sekona as a sophomore, but he's also built a strong relationship with new Trojans defensive line coach Chad Kauha'aha'a in recent months.

"We've been in contact here and there, but coming toward the end of my junior year is when I got a lot more contact, obviously letting them know that I was more interested in them," Sekona said.

"Definitely when I talked to coach Nansen, he gave me a spiel about what USC has to offer and what they can help me with obviously after football. But also if I'm going to go there I would have the opportunity to be trained by some of the best coaches [and] also to be coached with elite athletes to better myself and push myself. That's something I want to do. I love football and I want to play it as long as I'm given the opportunity. If I can be coached by elite coaches then that's definitely the way I want to go."

In regard to Kauha'aha'a, he added: "Me and him developed a really good relationship, and I think his D-line is going to be great this year and the years coming. I think he has a really great plan."

Sekona, listed at 6-foot-4, 295 pounds, is now a part of that plan. He joins 3-star St. John Bosco HS DT Kobe Pepe and 2-star St. Margaret's School DT Kyle Juergens as fellow defensive line commits for the Trojans.

He's also USC's first commitment of any kind in more than a month since offensive tackle Andres Dewerk capped a wave of commitments with his announcement on June 24.

Sekona said he was also considering Nebraska, UCLA, Cal and Oregon and held 13 offers overall. USC's message just resonated with him the most.

"I think definitely one of the biggest things [was] the opportunities I would have at USC, on and off the field of course," he said. "I think they have a lot of great players and elite guys and that's a program I see myself at, but off the field I also know they have a great program to help me get my degree and a lot of great internships and alumni from that. So I know that life after football will also continue [to benefit me]. That was a big deal to me."

Another big deal somewhere between on and off the field was the impression that USC strength and conditioning coach Aaron Ausmus and his staff made during the recruiting event Saturday.

"There are definitely a lot of great things. One thing I will say is that I really do love the spirit and energy of their strength and conditioning staff," Sekona said. "With this process we look at a lot of things, and I think one of the biggest things as recruits we need to look at is their strength and conditioning coaches. Because you're with your position coach only so much, but you're with your strength and conditioning coach almost every single day. So being able to get to know those guys and hear their philosophy and see the improvement on the guys from just last year to this year, I feel that I'll be in good hands as far as being developed in the weight room and making sure my body will be ready for anything that comes my way."

Development is a key word with Sekona, who considers himself still a raw prospect after not starting in football until his freshman year. (He is also the nephew of longtime NFL standout Haloti Ngata.)

That said, he feels he's made a strong impression with Marin Catholic, frequently having success taking on double and triple teams up front. (He's worked mostly at the nose position, but he's also started gaining experience at the 3-technique DT spot). But he also knows how much better he can become with college coaching.

"I'm new to football in a way. I started freshman year and you could see in film that I've had great lessons obviously but I've been successful along this way. One of the things I've lacked is technique," he said. "And I feel with going to the right coach or going to the right program I can be turned into something else. I feel very confident about that. … I feel like with me going to college where I am I'll only be more successful."

USC's 2020 class now includes commitments from 4-star QB Bryce Young (Mater Dei HS), 4-star WR Joshua Jackson (Narbonne HS), 3-star OT Joey Wright (Bishop Manogue HS/Reno, Nev.), 3-star OT Andrew Milek (Brophy Prep/Chandler, Ariz.), Dewerk, 3-star tight end Jack Yary (Murrieta Valley HS), Sekona, Pepe, Juergens and kicker Parker Lewis (Saguaro HS/Scottsdale, Ariz.).

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