USC Football: Lincoln Riley Reflects on Raleek Brown's Position Post-Week 0

Can Brown earn some time within USC's loaded WR room?

Raleek Brown came to USC with some real expectations. 

247Sports had Brown ranked as the No. 69 player overall in the class of 2022. He was rated as the No. 3 running back nationally -- and also the No. 7 overall in the state of California. Hailing from famed Mater Dei High School, Brown's skill set resembled a perfect marriage to Lincoln Riley's scheme. 

"Looked like" is the operative term here. Brown might be struggling for snaps if Week 0 of the 2023 season is any indication.

Raleek Brown didn't play until late on Saturday and was getting some scout team reps on Tuesday. Here's Lincoln Riley's full answer on Brown and where he stands from after practice today. #USC pic.twitter.com/XdcTBxsRcW

— Antonio Morales (@AntonioCMorales) August 30, 2023

The 5'8", 185-pound athlete was moved from running back to receiver over the offseason. The aim was to utilize Brown's strengths, including quickness and playmaking ability in space. 

After a decent freshman year in 2022, Brown was projected to be USC's starter at slot receiver potentially. However, things haven't exactly panned out for the talented sophomore. 

Raleek Brown's Career Stats:

2022 (as a true freshman): 14 total games; 227 rushing  yards on 42 carries (5.4 YPC); 16 receptions for 175 yards (10.97 YPR) ; 3 rushing TDs ; 3 receiving TDs

He played sparingly in the opening game -- registering one catch for 14 yards. In the role many envisioned Brown to fill, he was overshadowed by true freshman Zachariah Branch (who many are now pegging to be the next great USC receiver). 

With many curious as to Brown's status, Riley addressed his status above (quote per Antonio C. Morales): 

"Raleek's a really good player, but there's a lot of really good players here. The margins are really, really thin between a lot of these guys. I would just encourage with him like I would with the entire team."

- Lincoln Riley on Raleek Brown

per Antonio C. Morales

According to USC" 's official website (as of Aug. 30), Brown isn't even listed on the Trojans' depth chart. 

It's truly a fascinating development, but perhaps more so, it speaks to the talent and depth within USC's WR room. Aside from stalwarts Mario Williams, Tahj Washington, and Brenden Rice, Riley was able to lure high-end transfer Dorian Singer to USC via the transfer portal. 

Riley continued: “Raleek’s going to be a tremendous player, these are just things you go through.”

— Jack Smith 🎙 (@JackSmithPxP) August 29, 2023

From there, a plethora of true freshmen (Branch, Ja'Kobi Lane, Makai Lemon, Duce Robinson) have all proven to be capable options. Kyron Hudson has been a star during the fall, and Michael Jackson III is a player with a terrific upside. 

Brown is still a young player -- and has the talent/time to bounce back. Making a position change is not the easiest thing in the world. With that said, unless he makes some major strides sooner than later, he could get lost in the proverbial shuffle.