USC Trojans Hosting Elite Transfer Portal Target Jamaal Jarrett From Georgia Bulldogs

The USC Trojans will host former Georgia Bulldogs defensive line Jamaal Jarrett on Wednesday, Dec. 18. With the Trojans set to lose seniors Gavin Meyer and Nate Clifton after the season, revamping the defensive front is a priority for the Trojans.

Georgia freshman defensive lineman Jamaal Jarrett during a drill as position coach Tray Scott looks on at practice on March 21, 2023 Practicephoto321 / Marc Weiszer/Athens Banner-Herald / USA TODAY NETWORK

The USC Trojans will host former Georgia Bulldogs defensive lineman Jamaal Jarrett on Wednesday, Dec. 18. He will have three seasons of eligibility remaining. Jarrett is listed at 6-5, 350 pounds according to the Georgia football website. 

The North Carolina native was a four-star prospect coming out of Grimsley (NC) High School in the 2023 recruiting cycle. He was ranked as the No. 21 defensive lineman and No. 183 overall prospect, per the On3 Industry Rankings. 

Georgia freshman defensive lineman Jamaal Jarrett during a drill as position coach Tray Scott looks on at practice on March 21, 2023 Practicephoto321 / Marc Weiszer/Athens Banner-Herald / USA TODAY NETWORK

Jarrett has played sparingly in his two seasons with the Bulldogs, logging 126 snaps in 16 career games with nine tackles and three quarterback hurries. The Trojans have a few areas of need they want to address in the portal with defensive lineman being one.

Gavin Meyer and Nate Clifton were excellent additions in the portal last offseason. Both have started multiple games this season, but are out of eligibility following the bowl game. Bear Alexander decided to sit out the rest of the season and redshirt, following USC’s loss to Michigan in Week 4. Alexander had started 12 games for the Trojans in 2023 and then lost the starting position in 2024, Meyer and Clifton started at the two defensive tackle positions when Alexander was in the active.

The loss of Alexander left USC particularly thin on the defensive line for a majority of the season. And then the Trojans were plagued by injuries at defensive end. 

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USC is pushing to revamp its defensive front and have targeted a few highly sought after players in the portal. Former Kentucky defensive line Keeshawn Silver was in town on Dec. 12-13 as part of the first recruiting weekend since the portal opened. The North Carolina native left Los Angeles on Friday and has taken visits to Michigan and Miami since then. 

Silver signed with North Carolina coming out of Rocky Mount (NC) High School as a five-star prospect and No. 22 overall prospect in the 2021 recruiting cycle. He spent two seasons with the Tar Heels and the past two seasons with Kentucky. 

Appalachian State edge Nathan Johnson was on campus this past weekend. The Trojans are also pursuing for Louisiana Tech defensive David Blay. The Philadelphia native has taken official visits to Penn State and Illinois, but Blay plans to visit USC, Oregon and Miami as well.

Oct 26, 2024; Lexington, Kentucky, USA; Kentucky Wildcats defensive lineman Keeshawn Silver (9) celebrates after a missed field goal by the Auburn Tigers during the third quarter at Kroger Field. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-Imagn Images / Jordan Prather-Imagn Images

The Trojans signed four players on the defensive front in the 2025 recruiting cycle, five-star Jahkeem Stewart, three-star Gus Cordova, three-star Cash Jacobsen, three-star Floyd Boucard. Stewart and Cordova are names to keep an eye on to receive early playing time next season.

USC has only signed one player since the portal opened last Monday, former San Jose State DJ Harvey, the godbrother of Trojans safety Kamari Ramsey. They have lost 16 players in total to the portal.

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