All Trojans

VIDEO: 22' Devan Thompkins Talks Signing With USC

22' edge Devan Thompkins joins All Trojans to discuss his recruitment, and signing with the Trojans.

Claudette Montana Pattison

22' edge Devan Thompkins signed with the USC Trojans on Wednesday. Thompkins, [Stockton, Calif.] is the No. 51 overall player in California, and No. 40 ranked edge nationally. The 6'6", 220-pound athlete, hails from Edison High School, and talked with All Trojans about his commitment to Southern California.

Thompkins is a duel-threat athlete, and has played both tight end and edge. However, he intends to focus on the defensive side of the ball once he arrives on campus this summer.

Q: How does it feel to officially be a USC Trojan?

A: It feels great. I'm ready to get started over at USC. The coaches make me feel very welcome, and the environment is just great. So I'm ready.

Q: You took an official visit to USC in October, then committed to USC in November, before they had even announced the Lincoln Riley hire. What made you feel comfortable and confident that USC was the place you, when they had yet to announce their head coach?

A: I was talking to the interim head coach, coach Donte [Williams]. He felt that he was still going to be coaching there. I mean, Donte is a great coach, and I like having him around. With who was going to be the head coach, still being up in the air, it was hard. But, I just trusted the process.

Q: What was the process of getting in touch with Lincoln Riley like after he landed the USC job?

A: I talked to the defensive coordinator first, Coach [Alex] Grinch. Then I talked to Coach Riley, a couple of days after. It wasn't immediately, but I'm pretty sure he was busy. He got to me when he could.

Q: Everyone talks about the change in culture that Lincoln Riley is going to bring to USC. What do you think the future is for this program?

A: So I actually was talking to Lincoln Riley, and I asked him, basically, are you trying to make it a new USC or a new Oklahoma? He told me that he likes the culture at USC, so he is going to make it a new USC, not a new Oklahoma. So that was big for me, because I did commit to USC.

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Claudette Montana Pattison
CLAUDETTE MONTANA PATTISON

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