College football recruiting: USC takes two big hits, Cal aims for momentum as UW, Colorado prep for critical weekends
The Trojans couldn't hold commitments from elite defensive linemen from SEC country.
The Hotline is delighted to provide college football fans with a regular dive into the recruiting process through the eyes and ears of Brandon Huffman, the Seattle-based national recruiting editor for 247Sports. He submitted the following report on June 20 …
Panic time in Troy?
When the week began, USC held commitments from the top defensive linemen in the country in the class of 2025.
By Wednesday afternoon, the Trojans had lost both.
Fans were giddy when five-star Georgia products Isaiah Gibson and Justus Terry announced commitments to the Trojans earlier this spring, though there was mild concern about holding on for the eight months until the early-signing period.
But to lose them both on back-to-back days? That certainly caused consternation in Troy.
Was coach Lincoln Riley’s strategy of focusing so heavily on national recruits, which worked well when Gibson and Terry committed, now backfiring?
Constituents are worried that perhaps the Trojans should have prioritized regional prospects rather than chasing unicorns across the country.
USC fell from its top-10 position in the 247Sports recruiting rankings, to No. 17, as a result of losing Gibson and Terry.
Riley and Co. have a chance to bounce back, with 13 official visitors due on campus this weekend. Five are committed players, and some are key in-state targets.
But there are two defensive linemen from SEC country carrying five-star ratings, as well: Elijah Griffin from Georgia and Jared Smith from Alabama.
UW’s opportunity
Washington had a massive weekend of visitors to start the month, then took two weekends off from hosting duties in order to delve into the world of college showcases.
Now, the Huskies are back on Montlake for what should be a pristine weekend in terms of weather. They have a chance to lure out-of-state recruits and, more importantly, take their final shot to impress several key local recruits.
The 247Sports crystal ball is pointing to UW for three of the top-five players in the state, each scheduled to tour campus: linebacker Zaydrius Rainey-Sale and athletes Jonathan Epperson and D’Aryhian Clemons.
Washington also will host edge rusher Victor Sanchez Hernandez, an international taekwondo standout.
The No. 1 recruit in Oregon, tight end Baron Naone, is also set to visit Montlake this weekend, as is defensive lineman Dominic Macon.
Add one of the best players in Utah, offensive lineman Darius Afalava, plus a top-five recruit from Arizona, safety Rylon Dillard-Allen, and a well-regarded prospect from Hawaii, safety Aiden Manutai, and Washington has a gigantic opportunity to make things move this weekend.
Can Cal keep rolling?
The Bears have significant momentum based on recent successes, and this weekend will be their largest in terms of both numbers and targets.
They have several local products attending:
— Deji Ajose, an athlete from neighboring Bishop O’Dowd High School in Oakland, will wrap up a whirlwind week in which he already visited Utah and Washington.
— Offensive tackle Michael Klisiewicz, from Brentwood, is also due on campus.
— Key Southern California visitors include four-star tight end Vander Ploog from Fullerton and three-star edge rusher Epi Sitanilei from Gardena, who named Cal to his final four a week ago.
— But perhaps the most significant Berkeley visitor this weekend will be three-star quarterback Jaron Keawe Sagapolutele, the No. 1 player in Hawaii and an Elite 11 Finalist.
Sagapolutele visited Boise State last weekend and had previously seen Oregon State.
Colorado: small but big weekend
Colorado’s recruiting efforts under second-year coach Deion Sanders have been placed under a microscope. This weekend, all eyes will indeed be on the Buffaloes.
Why? Because one of the most popular names in the 2025 class will be on campus: Julian Lewis, or “JuJu” as he’s known.
The five-star quarterback committed to USC almost a year ago, when he was a member of the high school class of 2026. He subsequently reclassified to ’25 and has remained committed to the Trojans.
But other schools are trying to pry him loose.
Lewis, another Elite 11 finalist, has already taken his official visit to USC, along with Auburn and Indiana. (Yes, Indiana.)
He previously toured Boulder in an unofficial capacity, but Sanders and his staff have a golden opportunity to impress Lewis this weekend on the official visit.
Two other four-star prospects will join Lewis: offensive lineman Chauncey Gooden and receiver Quanell X Farrakhan Jr., who visited UCLA officially earlier this week.
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