Wyoming NT Gavin Meyer announces transfer commitment to USC
With the post-spring transfer portal frenzy seemingly winding down, USC had surprisingly yet to address its two primary needs — for an interior defensive lineman and an offensive tackle.
The Trojans finally checked one of those boxes Wednesday as Wyoming nose tackle transfer Gavin Meyer announced his USC commitment.
Why was this such a pressing need for the Trojans?
USC has a solid top of the depth chart at defensive tackle/nose tackle with potential star Bear Alexander, promising second-year lineman Elijah Hughes and veteran Vanderbilt transfer Nate Clifton, but the Trojans’ depth there is perilously thin.
They had brought in Texas A&M DT transfer Isaiah Raikes over the winter but he didn’t even finish out the spring with the Trojans before re-entering the portal and eventually transferring to Auburn. Redshirt freshman Deijon Laffitte also transferred out following the spring. That left little-used redshirt senior Kobe Pepe, promising but still raw true freshman Jide Abasiri, still-developing redshirt sophomore Devan Thompkins and incoming freshman summer enrollee Carlon Jones to round out the options on the inside. Meanwhile, junior defensive end Anthony Lucas is also viewed as versatile enough to play inside as well as on the edge.
The Trojans had pursued Michigan State DT transfer Derrick Harmon before he landed at Oregon, Division II Grand Valley State transfer Jay’Viar Suggs before he landed at LSU and Stephen F. Austin transfer Brandon Lane before he picked Louisville on Tuesday, while not seeming to ever have much traction with coveted TCU transfer Damonic Williams who landed at Oklahoma earlier this month.
In Meyer, USC adds experience and a player on the rise coming out of his two most productive seasons.
Over the last two years, the Franklin, Wisconsin native has played in 26 games and collected 66 tackles to go along with 8.5 tackles for loss and 4 sacks. He started the final six games of the 2022 season for Wyoming.
According to PFF, Meyer has played 784 snaps over the last two seasons and had 45 total pressures in that span. Though he did not start any games last season, the new USC defensive line commit had 26 tackles (13 solo) and 3.5 tackles for loss in 13 appearances.
His best season came in 2022 when he finished the year with a career-best 40 tackles (20 solo), 5 tackles for loss and all four of his career sacks. Meyer checks in at 6-foot-4 and 282 pounds and will have one season of eligibility with the Trojans.
Wisconsin, Cal and Illinois were the other programs that ended up as finalists in pursuit of Meyer this spring.
He is the fifth transfer the Trojans have added since the end of spring practice joining receivers Kyle Ford (UCLA) and Jay Fair (Auburn), cornerback Greedy Vance, Jr. (Florida State) and kicker Michael Lantz (Georgia Southern).