Breaking: Top Ranked LB Raesjon Davis Announces College Decision

Davis announced his college commitment on National Signing Day.

Claudette Montana Pattison | Feb 3, 2021

It's official Southern California Linebacker Raesjon Davis is headed to USC. The Santa Ana (Calif.) Mater Dei linebacker narrowed down his final five to LSU, Ohio State, Oregon, USC and Vanderbilt, but ultimately chose the Trojans. Davis make his commitment announcement on Wednesday, February 3, as part of the 247Sports National Signing Day Show.

Back in January of 2020, Davis committed to the LSU Tigers, but later de-committed on December 21, 2020. He took a visit to the Ohio State Buckeyes in January, but ultimately decided to stick with the hometown favorite.

Gaining the commitment from the No.3 linebacker in the state of California is huge for USC. Davis joins No.1 recruit DE Korey Foreman and No.6 cornerback Ceyair Wright, in being top ranked elite prospects to join the Trojans roster in 2021.

Although Davis seemed rooted in his choice when he made his announcement on Wednesday, he admitted that the decision was fairly new. "Really it's been a few days one or two days since i've known [about his final decision]" said Davis. "It was a pretty hard decision."

Davis told media members that he ultimately decided on committing to USC because of the opportunity to play early as an underclassmen. He also described his excitement for where the program is headed, "they look like they are bringing back the old SC" said Davis.

The Trojans currently rank at No.9 in Sports Illustrated's Top 25 Recruiting Class Rankings. This list will be updated after National Signing Day.

Here is SI All American's evaluation of Raesjon Davis.

Frame: Great length relative to height. Has a lot of room to physically mature, especially in upper half. Strong trunk built for power.

Athleticism: A true three-down linebacker with the ability to run down the line or make plays in space. Physical at the point of attack with edge ability versus the pass and run. Possesses adequate burst and bend to remain on the outside long term. Runs better than he tests with countless examples of elite closing speed.

Instincts: Possesses rare coverage instincts and ball skills for a second-level player. Appears most comfortable on the outside, with great motor skill and heavy hands in moving towards the passer. Sure tackler in space with the innate ability to combat blockers with speed or physicality.

Polish: Aggressive nature but plays well within frame and responsibility. Understands leverage versus the run and the pass and knows when to ‘fire his gun’ after play diagnosis. Strong footwork relative to given role with true spatial awareness. Can hold his own against No. 2 or 3 to the short-to-intermediate level. Can disengage in the wash or in space without giving ground. Advanced hand technique, particularly with push-pull and club moves. Has room to improve downhill ability versus the run but foundation exists.

Bottom Line: Davis is a three-down linebacker ready to make big plays against today’s offenses. He can command extra attention as a pass-rusher and hold his own against a secondary wide receiver, tight end or running back in coverage. As he adds mass and gains experience inside, especially on early downs, he could blossom into the type of defensive signal-caller you can’t take off the football field.