All Trojans

USC Football: Top 3 Most Important USC Commits Right Now

AllTrojans.com analyzes who from the current pool of USC commits, regardless of class, are the most vital to the continued success of the Trojans

Matt Solorio

In this story:

18th-ranked USC currently owns a 6-win, one-loss record heading into a crucial home game against #14 Utah. Neither of these teams should be considered favorites to win what will likely be the final Pac 12 championship. As USC wraps up its final season as a member of the Pac 12 before it heads to the Big 10, they currently sit at #19 nationally in 247 Sports rankings of the strength of all 2024 recruiting classes. 

USC currently has 15 commits in the class of 2024, zero in the class of 2025, and two in 2026. AllTrojans.com decided to break down who out of these 17 recruits are the most important for USC to hold on to, with both the short and long term in mind. 

#3: Clearwater Academy International (Clearwater, FL) Interior Offensive Lineman Jason Zandamela (2024)

Jason Zandamela doesn't play a position that has a glaring impact on overall team performance. He won't directly show up in any box score, but consider this:

Next season USC will play LSU, Penn State, and Michigan to name a few. All of these programs are defensive lineman factories. In 2025, USC plays Ole Miss, Michigan again, and Iowa. Entering the Big 10 means they will be facing better defenses, more often. Regardless of scheme, USC will at least need to be able to hold it down on the line of scrimmage. If they can't protect their quarterbacks then Lincoln Riley's ability to recruit talented quarterbacks could be thrown into jeopardy. Caleb Williams has been sacked 10 times in the past two games, and the hard part of their schedule is just getting started. 

Zandamela is one the best offensive linemen in the class of 2024 and it would bode very well should he hold on to his commitment to USC as they enter the Big 10.

#2: Booker T. Washington (Atlanta, GA) Edge Kameryn Fountain (2024)

USC has been getting after the quarterback this whole season, but their defensive line was held to zero sacks this past game against Notre Dame. 6'5 edge Kameryn Fountain may end up being the crowned jewel of their 2024 recruiting class. USC has not developed its defensive lineman well. Korey Foreman, for example, was one of the most recruited edge defenders in his class when he enrolled at USC, and hasn't made much of an impact thus far. Most of the defensive linemen that get playing time for USC are transfers. So while they have had success in the transfer portal, the development of Kameryn Fountain would set USC up for long-term success in the Big 10, where line-of-scrimmage play is more important when you compare it to the Pac 12. 

If Fountain pans out, USC could become a must-consider for all edge defenders. Long-term reverberations are why he's the second most important current commit to USC.

#1: Carrollton (Carrollton, GA) Quarterback Julian Lewis (2026)

If there's one thing Lincoln Riley is good at, it's recruiting quarterbacks. Julian Lewis is the most important current USC commit for a couple of reasons. His commitment and hopeful development proliferates the identity of Riley's version of the air raid system, upon which he's relied to advance his career. Julian Lewis' arm talent, poise, and leadership should translate to success in Riley's offense. 

The quarterback in a Lincoln Riley-coached team has always been the team's leader. Both Miller Moss and Malachi Nelson have shown promise, but neither has had significant playing time thus far in their college careers. Given the potential of Julian Lewis, and how important the quarterback is in Lincoln Riley's teams, Lewis is their most important commit as it stands.

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Published
Matt Solorio
MATT SOLORIO

Matt Solorio is a USC Trojans On SI reporter/analyst covering football recruiting, NIL, and other topics. He is also a Recruiting Analyst for Sports Illustrated All-American and an editor at SugarAndSports.com. Based in the San Francisco Bay Area, he brings a technical approach to his coverage of football recruits. He played defensive end at City College of San Francisco, coached at Archbishop Riordan HS (San Francisco, Calif) is committed to providing USC fans with interesting, informative, and engaging content. 

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