LOS ANGELES — Spring football is almost over at USC. 14 practices have been completed and we have a good idea of what the situation is for most of the players on the roster, including a large group of rookies. Here's one thought on each of his 25 new additions from the high school ranks and transfer portal.
Note: Transfers include previous school listed in parentheses. High school signees have star ratings, according to the 247Sports Composite.
Defensive lineman Father Jide Abashiri (4 stars): Abashiri transferred from Minnesota and joined USC's sign language class late. He has the size (6-foot-5, 291 pounds) the Trojans need to advance to the Big Ten, but there is still a learning curve for most true freshmen heading into the college game. , Abashiri is not expected to be a key piece as the interior defensive line rotation begins this fall.
Safety Akili Arnold, Republican Sr. (Oregon): Secondary coach Doug Belk said Arnold already provides strong leadership among the defensive backs. Arnold was a full-time starter at Oregon State last season, so his experience should help a deep and relatively talented secondary. He should compete for a starting spot and at least be a notable contributor in the safety rotation.
Safety Father Jarvis Boatwright Jr. (3 stars): There hasn't been much talk about Boatwright this spring, but Saturday will be our first glimpse of what he's capable of. He is one of several freshmen who could use this year as a season of development.
Defensive lineman Nate Clifton, Republican Sr. (Vanderbilt): Clifton is expected to play a key role in USC's defensive line rotation. He has the size and ability to play both inside and outside, making him a valuable asset to first-year defensive coordinator Danton Lynn. He is the first defensive line transfer brought in by the staff this offseason, and will likely be joined by several more players this spring.
Defensive lineman Father Lorenzo Cowan (3 stars): Like Abashiri, Cowan likely won't be part of the defensive line rotation this fall and will likely be a long-term project for USC.
Defensive lineman Father Kameryn Fountain (4 stars): It's been a while since USC brought in a freshman defensive lineman as physically capable as Fountain, the highest-rated player in the Trojans' 2024 recruiting class. Time will tell how quickly the 6-foot-6, 256-pound Fountain can break through the defensive line rotation in his first year.
Father Gallegos, Marquis of Safety (4 stars): There's no pressure on Gallegos to play right away because USC's depth is safe. Next fall, the focus will be on the growth of Sierra Canyon graduates.
Corner John Humphrey, Republican Sr. (University of California, Los Angeles): Humphrey recently underwent surgery and missed the final weeks of spring ball. As a veteran who has played under Lin before, he will be a factor in the corner rotation, if not the starter.
John Humphrey will play a key role in the Trojans' secondary. (Darren Yamashita/USA Today)
Running back Father Brian Jackson (3 stars): Jackson is the youngest player in a relatively inexperienced group of running backs. The competition for the No. 2 spot behind Mississippi State transfer Woody Marks is wide open, but Jackson is in the race against Quinten Joyner and Amarion Peterson, both in their second year with the program. Facing an uphill climb.
Recipient Father Xavier Jordan (4 stars): There wasn't much talk about Jordan during spring ball. This season, he will have the opportunity to grow and learn behind talented wideouts who will be given more time.
Quarterback Jayden Maiava, R-So. (UNLV): Lincoln Riley praised Maiava's calmness and quickness in adapting to the attack. Technically there is competition for quarterback, but Miller Moss, who has spent the past two seasons as USC's backup, is the heavy favorite to win the job. However, Maiava cannot be ruled out as he is talented as he proved at UNLV last season. The spring games will give a better picture of the situation.
Linebacker Easton Mascarenas-Arnold, Sr. (Oregon State): It took just a few months for Mascarenas Arnold, Akili Arnold's brother-in-law, to ascend to a leadership position on USC's defense. Mascarenas-Arnold is a first-team All-Pac-12 linebacker in 2023 and is expected to start this fall. The Trojans' linebacker play needs a boost, and the staff hopes Mascarenas-Arnold can provide that.
Running back Woody Marks, R-Sr. (Mississippi State): USC needed an experienced running back and set its sights on Marks, who had 3,108 yards from scrimmage in four seasons at Mississippi State, fairly early in the first transfer window. Marks will likely be the No. 1 tailback because of his experience, physicality, and ability to catch the ball out of the backfield.
Linebacker Father Elijah Newby (4 stars): New linebackers coach Matt Entz called Newby rough, but generally praised the freshman's football IQ. He primarily played on the edge in high school, so it's unlikely he will be asked to contribute much as he transitions to a new position this season.
Corner DeCarlos Nicholson, Republican Sr. (Mississippi): USC's personnel staff has ties to Mississippi State, which may have helped bring Marks and Nicholson to Los Angeles. Nicholson's efforts have made it clear that this staff wants to take corners higher, longer, and in which direction. Nicholson, 6-3 and 195 pounds, started seven games for Mississippi State last year and is expected to have stiff competition for a starting spot on the team. Either way, he should be part of the corner rotation.
Snapper Hank Pepper, Republican, Jr. (Michigan): Riley emphasized the need to improve in all aspects of the field goal unit's execution and operations. It starts with pepper.
Tight end Father Joey Olsen (4 stars): Tight ends coach Zach Hanson said Olsen, who played receiver in high school, will have to adapt to the blocking aspect of the position. Olsen benefited from the lack of depth at tight end this spring and was able to get more reps. In the fall, the position becomes even deeper.
Defensive lineman Isaiah Lakes, Republican Sr. (Texas A&M): Lykes was expected to provide some size and depth to the defensive line, and things looked good when he spoke to the media during the first few weeks of spring league play. But something must have changed because he entered the portal earlier this month. Riley declined to go into details behind Lykes' decision.
Stay safe Kamali Ramsey, Republican. (University of California, Los Angeles): Ramsey is an important addition and proved why during the spring. Riley called him “one of the most solid players on the football team” over the weekend and praised him again Tuesday. Ramsey has experience under Lin and should be the Opening Day starter.
Receiver Jayden Richardson, Republican Sr. (Tufts): Richardson made an unusual jump from Division III to Power 4. He was brought in to add his experience and depth at receiver, a position group comprised primarily of his sophomore players. The sophomore wideout is the most talented and will likely take the most snaps. USC rotates their receivers quite a bit, so it will be interesting to see if Richardson can get some playing time.
Linebacker Father Desman Stevens II (4 stars): Stevens is behind a lot of veterans, but Entz seems pretty excited about his natural game feel. He was listed at No. 208 in the recruiting process, but is now No. 235. Stevens will be a player to watch for years to come as he continues to change and grow in the college game.
Offensive lineman Father Carollo Taaga (3 stars): Ta'aga is a long-term project, requiring development into the spring and near future. Last fall was the former basketball player's first full season of football.
Offensive lineman Father Justin Tauanou (3 stars): The Trojans have little depth along the offensive line, especially at tackle. That means Tauanu'u was able to get more reps this spring than a typical true freshman. USC's starter at tackle seems set in stone for now, and will likely look to tackle in the portal in the coming weeks. So it would be surprising if Tauanou was asked for meaningful playing time this fall.
Corner Father Marcels Williams (4 stars): No freshman has generated as much buzz as Williams this spring. Many veterans, including Moss, have praised his play. Williams' older brother Max spent the past five seasons with the Trojans, so there's a lot of familiarity there. That helped Williams as he looks to make a strong case to join USC's corner rotation this fall.
Offensive lineman Father Jason Zandamera (4 stars): Zandamera's time at the University of Southern California was short-lived. He was a key signing, the first recruit on the program's top 150 offensive line since the 2018 cycle, and was considered a building block for the future. However, he entered the transfer portal this month after enrolling in January. Riley said Zandamera is not expected to play much this season.
(Top photo of Woody Marks: Jeff Blake / USA Today)
