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Published Jun 3, 2022
USC's top 10 priority recruiting targets entering a pivotal month of visits
Ryan Young  •  TrojanSports
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USC enters June with the No. 9-ranked 2023 recruiting class, having already reeled in seven commitments while tying for the second-highest average star rating per commit at 4.0.

Three of those commits -- five-star QB Malachi Nelson and high four-star WRs Zachariah Branch and Makai Lemon -- were in place soon after Lincoln Riley's arrival. The Trojans then added two more commits in April (four-star RBs Quinten Joyner and A'Marion Peterson from Texas) and two in May (three-star S Christian Pierce and four-star CB Braxton Myers).

But commitment season truly heats up in June, as many top prospects around the country will be packing in several official visits over the course of this month.

In a change of strategy from past years -- but aligned with how Riley did things at Oklahoma -- USC has tried to schedule all of its visitors this month for the same weekend (June 17-19). There will be a couple who couldn't make that weekend work and will instead be visiting next weekend, but the Trojans have no official visits scheduled for this first weekend.

So let's take this time instead to spotlight the top 10 priority targets for USC entering this all-important recruiting month.

RELATED: In-depth look at USC's offensive recruiting picture | In-depth look at USC's defensive recruiting picture

1. Four-star OT Francis Mauigoa (Bradenton, Fla.)

The top target at the most important position of need for USC. This month will likely reveal where the Trojans stand in his recruitment as Mauigoa is expected to take a USC official visit in June, among other trips. He checked out Tennessee last weekend, and Rivals national recruiting director Adam Gorney thinks the Vols could now be the favorite, but it's impossible to evaluate USC's standing in his recruitment until he and his family spend time around the Trojans' new coaching staff and get the full in-person recruiting pitch. Mauigoa's family is from American Samoa and he initially started high school in California before transferring to IMG Academy in Florida, so there are reasons why a West Coast return makes sense, but as the No. 2-ranked OT in this class there are also several major Southeast programs in play trying to keep him in that region.

2. Four-star TE Duce Robinson (Phoenix, Ariz.)

A tight end at No. 2? Yes, because Robinson is not just any tight end. The highly-athletic 6-foot-6 playmaker is in the mold of the game-changing tight ends who have emerged as true difference-makers in the sport over the last decade. Think Kyle Pitts at Florida. Also, USC looks to be in a really strong position for Robinson -- perhaps even the favorite at this point. Robinson doesn't say much about his recruitment publicly, but we're expecting him to take his official visit to USC this month.

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