Major USC OL target Devon Campbell includes Trojans in top 5
There is still some distance to the finish line, but USC is still in the race for five-star offensive lineman Devon Campbell (Arlington, Tex./Bowie).
The 6-foot-3, 310-pound prospect is a versatile lineman and has impressive athleticism that could allow him to play any of the five positions along the offensive line. He has been a top USC target since the Trojans offered in early February, just a short time after offensive line coach Clay McGuire took over at USC.
Campbell is the nation’s No. 10 overall prospect and No. 1 interior offensive lineman, which helps explain his final group of five schools. Alabama, LSU, Oklahoma, Texas and USC are the schools remaining for Campbell, who held offers from just about every major program.
THE 5. (No specific order ) #AGTG @ZoombielandP @ZachIsGreat_ @Hayesfawcett3 pic.twitter.com/0fw98PbimL
He visited USC in June, using his first official visit to see the Trojans and Los Angeles. Campbell also tripped to Oklahoma last month. Texas is likely the program to watch here. Steve Sarkisian’s Longhorns. Nine of the top 17 players in the state of Texas have made commitments so far, and none have been to Texas. Grabbing Campbell feels like something Sarkisian absolutely has to do in this class.
As for the Trojans, they need to start landing elite offensive linemen. There have been a couple positive additions in the last two classes. Four-star 2020 signees Jonah Monheim and Courtland Ford continue drawing positive reviews, and 2021 four-star signee Mason Murphy could have a bright future at offensive tackle. But elite offensive line prospects have looked elsewhere over the past several classes and the Trojans’ last big-name offensive line class dates all the way back to 2017, when USC signed two future first-round picks in Austin Jackson and Alijah Vera-Tucker. The Trojans now hope that the success those two had begins to make an impact on future classes, starting with this one.
USC recently landed a commitment from a nice building block in three-star lineman Keith Olson (Napavine, Wash./Napavine), and the Trojans now need to add to that with some of their top targets.
Campbell is right at the top of that list, joined by fellow five-star prospect Josh Conerly Jr. (Seattle/Rainier Beach). Georgia is home to two of USC’s other top targets, four-star linemen Addison Nichols (Norcross, Ga./Greater Atlanta Christian) and Elijah Pritchett (Columbus, Ga./Carver). Campbell, Nichols and Pritchett all took official visits to USC in June, while Conerly was on campus on an unofficial trip last month. USC also hosted offensive guards Neto Umeozulu (Allen, Tex./Allen) and Dave Iuli (Puyallup, Wash./Puyallup), both four-star prospects, on June official visits. Locally, four-star lineman Earnest Greene (Bellflower, Calif./St. John Bosco) is still a target, but Greene appears to be looking hard out of state, with Ohio State making a big impression during an unofficial visit.
