Carousel of Commitment Flips Continues for Trojans

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Substantial volatility persists for the USC Trojans in the 2025 recruiting cycle. Southern Cal's pledge class underwent a dramatic shakeup on Nov. 17 when, in a matter of moments, five-star quarterback Julian Lewis decommitted and five-star QB Husan Longstreet flipped his commitment from No. 15 Texas A&M (8-3, 5-2 Southeastern Conference) to USC (6-5, 4-5 Big Ten Conference). Since then, rapid personnel changes have continued.

Four More 2025 Recruiting Class Changes

Since the swapping of five-star QBs, two more recruits have joined the Trojans' 2025 class and two have departed:

Four-star offensive tackle Carde Smith decommitted from USC on Nov. 20. This is Smith's second decommitment. On Aug. 5, he flipped his commitment from Auburn to USC. Per Sports Illustrated, Smith is likely to next pledge to play for the No. 16 Colorado Buffaloes (8-3, 6-2 Big 12 Conference).

The loss of Smith was more than offset just two days later when consensus four-star OT Alex Payne flipped his commitment from North Carolina (6-5, 3-4 Atlantic Coast Conference) to USC on Nov. 22. Whereas 247Sports rates Smith a three-star prospect, the rating agency grades Payne as the No. 16 offensive lineman in the 2025 cycle. A native of Gainsville, Ga., Payne played both tackle positions on a Georgia prep team that reached the state championship game.

In a significant loss, four-star linebacker Ty Jackson flipped his commitment from USC to Florida (6-5, 4-4 SEC) on Nov. 25. ESPN rates Jackson as the No. 1 LB prospect in the 2025 cycle. However, the Trojans retain two elite LBs in their 2025 class—Matai Tagoa'i and Jadon Perlotte, both of whom are four-star prospects.

Also on Nov. 25, shortly after the loss of Jackson, three-star EDGE Nela Tupou flipped his commitment from Utah (4-7, 1-7 Big 12) to USC. From Folsom, Calif., Tupou is a teammate of coveted five-star QB Ryder Lyons, a 2026 prospect believed to be also headed to USC. At the prep level, Tupou plays tight end and EDGE, catching passes from Lyons when he plays offense.

Current Status of Trojans' 2025 Class

Headlined by two five-stars—Longstreet and wide receiver Jerome Myles—USC's 2025 class is the No. 12 class in the country, according to 247Sports. The class also features five consensus four-star athletes, including Payne, Tagoa'i, OT Aaron Dunn, cornerback Trestin Castro and safety Kendarius Reddick.