New Commit, Offers, in USC's Week in Recruiting
USC's 2020 recruiting class received a boost this week, as tight end Jack Yary announced his commitment to the Trojans on Wednesday night.
Yary is the fourth pledge in USC's 2020 recruiting class, joining quarterback Bryce Young (Santa Ana, Calif./Mater Dei), wide receiver Josh Jackson (Harbor City, Calif./Narbonne), and kicker Parker Lewis (Scottsdale, Ariz./Saguaro).
Yary announced his decision on twitter, specifically mentioning that he is excited to carry on the legacy of his father, former USC offensive lineman and Trojan great, Ron Yary.
Trojans Looking for the Wright Linemen
It's going to be interesting to watch the USC offensive line recruiting moving forward, both because 2020 isn't a great year at the position in state, and the new Air Raid offense could lead to the Trojans looking for different body types than USC fans have seen in the past.
USC coaches have extended a number of offers to offensive linemen during recent weeks, with one of them ticketed for Joey Wright (Reno, Nev./Bishop Manogue). The 6-foot-6, 270-pound offensive tackle holds offers from Arizona State, Fresno State, Nevada, San Diego State, and Washington State, with the Trojans now entering the picture.
Wright said he began hearing from USC about two months ago, through Offensive Quality Control Analyst Lenny Vandermade. But his verbal offer was made by head coach Clay Helton.
"He said that he likes who I am and how I am as a ball player," Wright said of Helton. "They like that I am an athletic lineman, my frame, and they see me fitting well into their scheme."
Wright was blown away by the offer from USC.
"It is one of my dream schools, and the fact that I have the ability to play there is astounding," he said.
Wright doesn't plan on rushing into a decision, and wants to see where he feels most comfortable by developing a relationship with his potential future coaching staff.
"It's not just about the game of football," Wright said.
He said he still needs to work on setting up an official visit to see the Trojans, but will be at USC on an unofficial visit on June 12.
Trojans Make Top Five for Collins
In-state standout running back Kendall Milton recently released a top-four list that did not include USC, but the Trojans are in the mix for 6-foot, 205-pound running back JoJuan Collins (Harbor City, Calif./Narbonne).
Collins released a top five list this week that includes Auburn, Georgia, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and USC.
Collins has the ability be an every-down back, and while he isn't going to be the flashiest tailback, he runs tough and understands how to pick up yards in a spread offense, bouncing outside or making that initial cut and getting upfield through a hole.
Another OL Offer
The Trojans continue to hit offensive line recruiting hard, as three-star offensive tackle Caadyn Stephen (Camas, Wash./Camas) is the most recent offer at the position.
The 6-foot-5, 295-pound Stephen adds his USC offer to a list that includes Arizona, Arizona State, Cal, Colorado, Oregon State, and Washington State, among Pac-12 programs.
Verner Grabs USC Offer
Safety Semaj Verner (Lakewood, Calif./Mayfair) picked up an offer from USC this week. If that name sounds familiar to Trojan fans, it's because Verner's cousin, Alterraun Verner, was a standout defensive back at UCLA before becoming a fourth-round selection in the NFL Draft.
Verner will be an interesting recruit to follow, as the Trojans obviously need to overcome the UCLA lean due to his cousin. But Verner was forced to sit out his entire junior season due to transfer rules, so the 6-foot-2, 185-pound safety has likely been a little under-recruited at this point since there is no junior game film to review.
Despite that, he still holds offers from Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, Nevada, Oregon State, San Diego State, and now USC. It wouldn't be surprising to see his stock rise dramatically as he continues through the summer and into the fall.
