USC 2017 Recruiting Target List

Recruiting analyst Scott Schrader breaks down where USC stands with recruits from the Class of 2017.

USC got fully onboard with Pola-Mao somewhat late in the process, but the contact the past two months has been very positive for the Trojans. Pola-Mao was extremely impressed with his unofficial visit to SC this summer and visited on the 13th.

Austin Jackson has been really high on USC since he was a young kid and that interest is still very strong. He's been on campus at USC numerous times over the years and took his last unofficial visit during the summer for the Rising Stars Camp. Has a large family contingent in Los Angeles and L.A. feels like home to him. Austin took his official visit to USC Nov. 25-27 and could make a decision on a school this month or in January.

Neilon is a solid commit for the Trojans and one of the lead recruiters from the group of committed players, along with Hunter Echols. He visited on the 13th.

Vera-Tucker is an extremely talented OL and another solid commit for USC. He's visited USC multiple times and brought family members with him to the Oregon game on Nov. 5. Plans to take his official visit after the season when most SC recruits will. He is visiting on the 20th.

USC offered Lenoir early in the spring, but there never seemed to be strong interest from the Trojans until recently. Lenoir plans to take his official visit to USC Jan. 20-22.

USC offered 12/20 and Brown told us he will take an official visit to USC in January.

Echols was committed to the Bruins early in the process, but that commitment came before USC offered. He's now committed to his life-long dream school in USC and is doing all he can to persuade other top players to join him. Echols is without question one of the top players USC will sign in February. He will come in as a hybrid LB/DE.

Wilson's ranking speaks for itself. Possibly the top player from the 2017 class and being pursued by every top school in the country. He's been on campus once and USC is doing all it can to get him back to Los Angeles for an official visit. He'll take his official visit to USC Jan. 20-22.

USC has come on strong recently with Katoa and he took an official visit Nov. 25-27. He is at USC as an Early Enrollee.

USC has really picked up its recruitment of Blades during the past two months and although he's committed to Florida, he's talking with the Trojans and has been at the Coliseum for a game this season. He's scheduled his official visit to USC for Jan. 20-22.

Jones is a player who has been extremely high on USC since he visited early in spring. Is the younger brother of East Carolina wide receiver Isaiah Jones and former Arizona wide receiver Cayleb Jones, and the son of former Dallas Cowboy linebacker Robert Jones. Tommie Robinson is the lead recruiter for Jones and the Trojans are in a solid spot to ultimately sign Jones. He will be taking his official visit on the 20th of January.

Grimes is one of those players who has a ranking that just doesn't jive with what I've seen of him. He's a very solid pass catcher, has great size, athleticiam and will be a potential mismatch for most cornerbacks in the Pac-12. He's had to fill in at QB this season for Desert Pines, so there's no film on him at WR this season, but he told us he'd be back at WR when the playoffs began (10/28). He will be visiting USC on 22nd of January with his teammate Tony Wallace.

Most who cover recruiting believe Lewis will end up at USC, but unlike many other top prospects in southern California, Lewis has been absent on gameday at the Coliseum and doesn't have plans to be there anytime soon. But he does have a solid relationship with Tee Martin and never bet against the Trojans with a top local kid. He doesn't plan to take an official visit to USC, but every year a few local kids say that and end up taking it anyway.

There are several players at Hawkins HS like Greg Johnson is the 2017 and 2018 classes who will be big-time WRs and DBs in college and Johnson is one of those. He recently decommitted from Arizona and set up an official visit to USC for Jan. 20-22. His brother Marcus Johnson also committed to USC recently.

Sears was originally committed to Duke, but flipped his commitment to USC. He took his official visit to USC Dec. 9-11 and is enrolled already.

USC has been recruiting Holmes as hard as any player it has targeted for 2017 and there was a break-through moment for USC when he took his official visit Dec. 4-6. He has close ties with UCLA and we believe UCLA and OSU are the top two but anything could happen.

One of the most impressive running backs I've seen on film in a few years. He's big, he's fast and he's committed to Alabama. But USC is recruiting him as if he's still undecided. This is a RB the Trojans want bad and the difference players like him and Stephen Carr can make, would have any offense running full throttle for years. I could block for them....Im serious...although I may only last one play. He will not be taking an official visit to SC because he will be a mid-year enrollee and will have to be committed before the dead period ends.

One of three uncommitted TEs the Trojans are recruiting to fill one spot. He communicates with USC weekly, has serious interest in the Trojans and will likely officially visit on January 13th.

Voorhees is just a damn good football player and as all OL are, a welcome addition to the USC football team. He's an early enrollee for the Trojans.

Burgess is committed for the Trojans and is planning to take his official visit after the season.

Tufele has been relatively quiet regarding recruiting, but he's visited USC before and USC will also get an official visit from him on the 20th of January.

Calvin is a very talented football player and has risen up the rankings by showing up at every event/camp he possibly could and killing it....including The Rising Stars Camp at SC. I'm not sure there is any recruit in the country who wants to be a Trojan more than Calvin and he lets USC know that often. There just isn't room for him at this point in USC's 2017 recruiting class. He was told if a spot opened up, he would likely get an offer. If he does get an offer from SC, he could be the next commit.

Williams has been committed to USC for a long time and is as solid with his commitment today as he was when he announced for the Trojans. He is planning to take official visits to other schools and USC will be his final visit on the 20th of January.

The Trojans got traction with their recruiting efforts with Sarell late in the game, but he took an official visit to USC Nov. 25-27 and now USC will finish up with in-home visits between now and signing day (2/1/2017).

Another solid commit for the Trojans. He visited on the 13th.

This is the TE John Baxter really likes and he is solidly committed to USC. He will be visiting on the 20th of January.

Although he's taking all of his allotted official visits, Carr is rock solid with his commitment to the Trojans.

USC hasn't given up, but Garrett has. Solid Buckeye commit and man was I impressed with what I saw from him on 10/21 vs Desert Oasis in Vegas.

Johnson is not the former Libertarian Presidential Candidate, but a LB from Dodge City CC in Kansas. USC communicates with him, and he has a visit set up on the 20th of January.

Faoliu is a Mater Dei Monarch three-star DT committed to Arizona, but the Trojans have recently shown interest.

Another huge recruit from the West Coast committed to Ohio St. USC continues to recruit Davis, but his commitment his firm.

Johnny Nansen loves Falaniko and he's in love with USC...as is his family. He has taken his official visit with his family joining him and said "The USC visit was very,very nice." He now claims to be 50/50 with USC. We will monitor this as it progresses.

A junior college DT USC has been in contact with and has serious interest. He has an official set up on January 13th.

Another JC DT USC has begun pursuing later in the recruiting process.

A late offer from the Trojans. He said he has interest in USC but is not sure whether or not he will be taking an official visit because he recently took an unofficial visit. Where SC plans to find the room is a mystery.

Another kid who was recently offered by USC who is probably undervalued in the rankings because he's relatively unknown. Took his official visit to USC Nov. 25-27.

USC got in on Owusu somewhat late in the process and per Adam Gorney, recently offered the ATH from Oaks Christian. He visited USC this weekend (1/13-15), will visit Vanderbilt next weekend and then decide on a school.

DJ has been committed to Miami for quite some time, but he took an official visit to USC Nov. 25-27. He says he's still solidly committed to the Canes.

Jarrell is a kid USC continues to recruit, he's been on an unofficial visit this season and plans to take an official visit. Clay Helton attended his game (10/21).

Bolden will be interesting. He is drawn to ASU because of his friend Alex Perry but is currently committed to USC. Bolden took his final official visit to USC Jan. 13-15.

USC would love to get him to Los Angeles for an official visit, but that seems unlikely at this point.

A local DL SC has been pursuing since the early stages of the recruiting process and are still recruiting him hard. He is committed to USC and will be on campus Jan. 20-22 for an official visit. The staff loves his size and are really happy to have him committed.

Before he announced his commitment to Oregon in June, Niu was all set to announce for USC. But the Trojans weren't ready to take his commitment at the time and asked him to wait. Well, he didn't and not long after told USC he still wants to be a Trojan. This kid bleeds cardinal gold folks. Doubtful there will be room for him.

Gooden is another JC player SC offered this month. Not much is known other than he's committed to Mississippi St. and he would like to visit USC officially.

Vimahi is the most recent offer the Trojans have handed out and it came after Johnny Nansen spent the weekend in Hawaii evaluating talent. USC had film on Vimahi and obviously liked what they saw enough to see him in person. The visit to Hawaii resulted in the offer. Expect Vimahi to take an official visit at some point.

USC has extended offers to a few Hawaiian prospects this year and another kid who the Trojans have their eye on from Punahou is Suguturaga. He doesn't have an offer and considering USC offered Vimahi on 10/25, the chances Suguturaga ends up with one seem low.

SC has been recruiting Solomon since early in the process. He was committed to Michigan at one point but not anymore. Solomon visited SC on the 13th.

Godfrey is a longer cornerback that fits the USC scheme very well. He visited on the 13th and committed to USC shortly after. He had knee problems but he expects to be fine.

USC is definitely looking to stack their defensive front line which is why they have offered Myron a scholarship. He took his official visit to USC Nov. 25-27 and we believe USC is the school to beat.

Tony Wallace is committed to Arizona but received a late offer from the Trojans and will be visiting USC on the 22nd of January. He isn't very tall but he is physical and can hit which is what Bradford is looking for. I would keep an eye on him. He is teammates with Randal Grimes and they will be visiting together.

Jalen is committed to USC and will be a key recruiter moving forward. He visited on the 13th.