National Signing Day is the first day that a high school senior can sign a binding National Letter of Intent for college football. Follow us here today as we list the biggest signings by our local colleges and keep track of where local high school stars end up.
USC’s signing day ended the same way it started. Two more high-profile recruits have announced they will sign with the Trojans, capping an impressive run for Coach Clay Helton in his first full recruiting cycle.
Receiver Joseph Lewis and athlete Greg Johnson, teammates at Hawkins, both selected USC at a ceremony early Wednesday afternoon.
Lewis, considered one of the best receivers in the class, adds to an already deep position for USC. Johnson is a versatile player, having been a quarterback, running back, receiver, cornerback and safety. Both were also considering Nebraska.
USC began the day with seven undecided targets on signing day. It secured commitments from six of them.
The success signals that Maranatha defensive end Terrance Lang, who had verbally committed to USC, could be signing elsewhere. USC has 21 signees, plus offensive lineman Jalen McKenzie, who is expected to blueshirt (meaning his scholarship will count against next year’s class). The school has room for 23, so Lewis and Johnson would put the Trojans at their limit.
USC has received signatures from running back Stephen Carr and tight end Josh Falo.
Of all the commits in USC’s class, maybe no one was rated higher than running back Stephen Carr of Fontana Summit High. Few had been committed for as long: Carr committed to USC about two years ago.
By noon on Wednesday, some USC fans on social media began to worry. Carr had recently visited UCLA, and he’d yet to sign. Would he flip?
He would not. Carr was waiting for a 12:30 p.m. ceremony at his school. There, he appeared with multiple USC banners, removing any remaining suspense.
USC’s red-hot signing day continues. Tight end Josh Falo from Sacramento announced he will sign with USC in a video posted on Twitter late Wednesday morning.
The Trojans had five uncommitted targets Wednesday morning. It reeled in four of them.
Falo, one of the nation’s best tight ends, was also considering Oregon.
Jay Tufele, a defensive tackle fom Utah, is USC’s 13th signee today, with another five enrolled early. That leaves five scholarships available.
It’s coming down to the wire as to which school has the No. 1 class in college football recruiting this year.
As of early morning, Scout.com had Georgia No. 1, Alabama No. 2, Michigan No. 3 and Ohio State No. 4 in its team rankings. USC was No. 7 and UCLA No. 21.
Rivals.com has Alabama No. 1, Ohio State No. 2, Georgia No. 3 and Michigan No. 4. USC was ranked No. 8 and UCLA No. 19.
Linebacker Juliano Falaniko has signed with USC. He becomes the first USC player from an American Samoan high school since defensive lineman Travis Tofi in 2002.
As college football programs continue to announce additions to their 2017 recruiting classes, one name stood out from the rest: Kobe Buffalomeat, a 6-foot-7, 285-pound offensive lineman who will be joining the Illinois State Redbirds.
Naturally, folks on Twitter took notice of an amazing name like that.
USC has a reputation for closing well on national signing day, and the trend has continued early on Wednesday. Austin Jackson, a highly rated offensive tackle from Phoenix, became the second uncommitted recruit of the day to choose USC.
A few minutes later, defensive tackle Jay Tufele of Utah announced that he too would be signing with USC.
The Trojans have now hit on three of four of its targets on Wednesday, missing only on defensive tackle Aubrey Solomon, who was a long shot.
The commitment of Jackson, whose grandfather played for USC under John McKay, was not much of a surprise. Tufele’s decision was a victory for USC, which had been competing with Utah for his signature.
Both players fill positions of need. USC lost both starting offensive tackles from last season and needs depth at defensive tackle. Last season’s starter, Stevie Tu’ikolovatu, graduated, and the roster is thin at the position.
Safety Isaiah Pola-Mao of Phoenix has signed with USC. He might look familiar to Trojan fans: his uncle was Troy Polamalu, the former USC and longtime Pittsburgh Steelers safety.
It’s always good to have family ties to your university and coaches, and UCLA is taking advantage.
Its No. 1 recruit, defensive end Jaelan Phillips from Redlands East Valley, has long ties to UCLA through his parents.
Defensive back Quintin Lake of Santa Ana Mater Klasbahis Dei is the son of former Bruin great Carnell Lake .
And UCLA defensive backs Coach Demetrice Martin used his ties to Pasadena and the Holmes family to land Darnay Holmes of Calabasas.
Safety Bubba Bolden of Las Vegas has signed with USC.
The Trojans have now received letters from nine recruits on Wednesday, in addition to the five who enrolled early. Nine scholarships remain.
In a flurry of announcements, USC has received signatures from six more commits:
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