USC Football: Grading the Trojans 2019 recruiting class

The USC Trojans are looking to turn things around in 2019 so can their 2019 recruiting class provide an immediate impact for Clay Helton’s squad?

The USC Trojans are a far cry from where they were a year ago. After winning the Pac-12 Championship in 2017 and earning a bid to the Cotton Bowl, the team regressed hard last season. USC went 5-7, their first losing season since 2000 before the Pete Carroll era. Many speculated head coach Clay Helton would be on the unemployment line at the end of the year, but the program decided to stick with him. Now he ushers in a new recruiting class that could make or break his time at USC.

Changes were made in the coaching department for USC with the dismissal of Tee Martin. They appeared to have hired a far better replacement in December. After being fired from Texas Tech, Kliff Kingsbury was hired as offensive coordinator. Hopes in Los Angeles were high until the NFL came calling. Less than a month later, the Arizona Cardinals hired Kingsbury to be their new head coach. The program then hired former North Texas offensive coordinator Graham Harrell.

USC lands three four-star recruits for the 2019 class according to 247Sports: defensive end Drake Jackson, corner Max Williams and tight end Jude Wolfe. Jackson is ranked as the third best defensive end nationally and will give a huge boost to a defense that struggled mightily in Pac-12 play. The same can be said for Williams, who is rated the 21st best cornerback in the country. Wolfe is by far the biggest offensive gem for the class, rated the eighth-best tight end in the nation.

Of the program’s 22 recruits for 2019, nine have already enrolled and nine already signed during Early National Signing Day.

USC’s defense finished ranked 60th nationally last year and Helton landed more recruits on that side of the ball with 12. While USC returns lots of young talent on offense, running back Aca’Cedric Ware is a significant loss. The Trojans have a hodgepodge group of young backs and no one is sure who will fill that starting role yet. Landing three-star Kenan Christon helps, but it is hard to imagine USC finding a replacement for an 800-yard back who was most of their offense last year right away.

This class has plenty of talent to help Helton have a better season, but how much of it will take the field in 2019? Jackson, Williams and fellow four-star receiver Drake London could see action soon, but how will these new recruits gel with a coaching staff that has gone through an overhaul this offseason? Time will tell.

Grade: B+