USC Trojans Predicted to Flip Recruits from Utah, North Carolina Before Signing Day

The USC Trojans are heavily pursuing Utah Utes commit Nela Tupou and North Carolina Tar Heels commit Alex Payne. Will the Trojans land recruits before the early signing period begins?

Nov 16, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley watches game action against the Nebraska Cornhuskers during the second half at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images / Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

The USC Trojans are in pursuit of flipping two class of 2025 recruits, Nela Tupou and Alex Payne. Can the Trojans flip one or both of these players before national signing day?

Nela Tupou Player Profile

USC Trojans Projected to Flip, Nela Tupou / @lul_nelaa on Instagram

Nela Tupou is a 6-4, 220 pound tight end/defensive end out of Folsom, California. He is rated as a three-star recruit and ranked as the 43rd-best ATH in the class of 2025 per 247Sports. 

Tupou committed to the Utah Utes in February of 2024, but he just recently visited USC last weekend for the Trojans’ 28-20 win over the Nebraska Cornhuskers. 

On3 is now predicting that Tupou will likely flip this commitment from Utah to USC.

Alex Payne Player Profile

USC Trojans Projected to Flip, Alex Payne / @usc.today on Instagram

Alex Payne is a 6-5, 265 pound offensive tackle out of Gainesville, Florida. He is rated as four-star recruit and ranked as the 16th-best offensive tackle in the class of 2025. 

Payne committed to the North Carolina Tar Heels in January of 2024, but he as well as Tupou, visited USC last weekend. 

In 247Sports recruiting analyst Tom Loy’s updated crystal ball prediction, he had Payne flipping his commitment from North Carolina to USC. Loy has a good track record of predicting where recruits will end up as his all-time hit rate for predicting recruits' final destinations is 81.64 percent. 

USC Bolstering Up Offensive Line to Go Along With Weapons

Nov 16, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans running back Quinten Joyner (0) runs the ball against the Nebraska Cornhuskers during the first half at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images / Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

One of the glaring holes for the USC Trojans this season has been the offensive line. For USC to bounce back next season, they will have to get much better in the trenches. This has been exposed in their first season in the Big Ten. Landing Tupou, who can both be a factor in the run blocking scheme as a blocker, and Payne, one of the top tackle prospects in the country, would go a long way for next season and the future of the program.

Barring a flurry of transfer portal decisions, the Trojans will have an abundance of skill position talent coming back next season. 

Freshman running back Quinten Joyner has been the second best back this season behind senior running back Woody marks.

Four of the Trojans five leading receivers are sophomores. Makai Lemon, Zachariah Branch, Ja'Kobi Lane, and Duce Robinson all have shown flashes of potentially being a number one wide receiver next season. 

Add in the Trojans starting sophomore quarterback Jayden Maiava and they have one of the youngest teams in the Big Ten. If USC continues to address the offensive line in the last days of the 2025 recruiting cycle and in the transfer portal this offseason, the Trojans could be a dangerous team next season. 

MORE: EXCLUSIVE: Five-Star QB Husan Longstreet Talks Recruitment, Flip to USC Trojans

MORE: Minnesota Vikings' Jordan Addison Injury Update After Increased Role Vs. Tennessee Titans

MORE: Did NIL Factor Into Julian Lewis Decommit From USC Trojans? Colorado Buffaloes Loom

MORE: USC Trojans Schedule Release: Notre Dame Kickoff Time, TV Broadcast

MORE: USC Trojans Quarterback Miller Moss' Potential NIL Value as Transfer

MORE: USC Trojans' Bear Alexander Visiting Georgia Bulldogs: Transfer Portal?

MORE: Chicago Bears' Caleb Williams Reveals Advice from USC Trojans Coach Lincoln Riley

MORE: USC Trojans' Lincoln Riley on De-Commitments: 'Great Ones Always See The Opportunity'

MORE: Why 4-Star Hayden Lowe Flipped From USC Trojans To Miami Hurricanes, Mario Cristobal

MORE: USC Trojans Women's Basketball Star JuJu Watkins Makes Name, Image, Likeness History