USC Football Recruiting: 4-star DT Aeneas Hawkins names Top 7

Four-star defensive tackle Aeneas Hawkins announced his Top 7 schools on Sunday, with USC Football among his options to earn his commitment this summer.

Summer is the time of favorites lists and commitments, the latest coming from four-star defensive tackle Aeneas Hawkins, who is slated to decide on his college choice in the coming months and just released a Top 7 including USC Football.

“I’d like to start off by thanking God for putting me in this position. Next, I’d like to thank all of my family, friends, and coaches who helped guide me in my decision so far,” Hawkins wrote. “That being said, I’ll be picking which college I attend from this group during the summer.”

The group Hawkins has selected includes Ohio State, Penn State, Cincinnati, Kentucky, Alabama and Pitt, along with USC.

Hawkins hails from Cincinnati, giving Ohio State and Cincinnati a clear edge on his recruitment, per the 247Sports crystal ball predictions favoring the two more local schools.

However, USC is in the mix as the only west coast option for the 6-foot-3, 265-pound tackle out of Archbishop Moeller High School.

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Hawkins ranks as the No. 23 defensive tackle on the board and the No. 12 prospect from the state of Ohio, according to the 247Sports composite rankings. He stands as the 268th player in the class of 2018.

Last month, USC shored up their recruiting at the defensive tackle position with a commitment from four-star prospect Tuli Letuligasenoa out of De La Salle. Still, there’s reason to believe there will be room for more on the defensive line as the Trojans continue to rebuild in the trenches.

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Of course, adding Hawkins to the mix, and pulling him away from home, will require some work.

USC’s current class of 2018 is headlined by a pair of five-star players — linebacker Palaie Gaoteote and quarterback Matt Corral. The Trojans also boast commitments from four-star prospects like linebackers Raymond Scott and Bo Calvert, cornerback Marcus Johnson and Letuligasenoa.