USC pulls National Signing Day flip of Michigan State commit Jadyn Walker

As the calendar flipped to National Signing Day on Wednesday, USC continued what has been a strong surge to the finish of this recruiting cycle -- especially on the defensive side.

First thing Wednesday morning, before most fans on the West Coast would have even been awake to notice, USC flipped three-star Michigan State linebacker commit Jadyn Walker as he officially signed with the Trojans.

Walker, from Portage, Michigan, had been committed to the Spartans since September, but with a new coaching staff taking over there and USC making a strong push starting with a fresh offer and campus visit in December, the Trojans' new defensive staff swayed yet another intriguing prospect at a major position of need.

In fact, in the last two days, USC has bulked up at its two primary areas of need with the commitment of three-star defensive lineman Ratuman Bulabalavu on Tuesday and Walker on Wednesday morning.

It's not any coincidence that six of USC's final seven commits/signees in this 2024 recruiting class were on the defensive side, as head coach Lincoln Riley turned over the defensive staff and proclaimed fixing the defense as his top priority.

Three-star linebacker Desman Stephans, also from Michigan, committed to the Trojans in late November (after the dismissal of former defensive coordinator Alex Grinch), while three-star DE Jidi Abasiri (previously committed to Minnesota), three-star linebacker Lorenzo Cowan (previously committed to Kentucky), four-star DE Carlon Jones, Bulabalavu and Walker all joined the Trojans' class after new defensive coordinator D'Anton Lynn and three other new defensive assistants came aboard.

USC brings in a talented trio of linebackers in this class now with four-star Elijah Newby (Cheshire, Connecticut), Stephens and Walker.

Overall, the Trojans is up to 22 signees after local four-star CB commit Isaiah Rubin signed later Wednesday morning.

USC ranks No. 17 in the Rivals team recruiting rankings.