Four-star RB Brandon Campbell commits to 2021 USC football class

The 2021 USC football recruiting class got a boost when bluechip Texas running back Brandon Campbell announced his commitment to the Trojans on Saturday.

He might only be 5-foot-10 and 190 pounds, but four-star Brandon Campbell out of Katy High School in suburban Houston is the biggest commitment for the USC football program in seemingly forever.

If not for Greg Bryant’s late addition to the 2020 class, Campbell would’ve been the first bluechip to hit for the Trojans in over six months, when five-star quarterback Jake Garcia pledged his future.

The nation’s 22nd-ranked rusher per 247Sports, Campbell announced his commitment in a video posted to Twitter, picking USC football over the likes of Alabama, Penn State, LSU and Florida.

https://twitter.com/2021BC/status/1244082397530009600

It’s an extremely important pickup for Clay Helton’s Trojans. They didn’t sign a running back in the 2020 class and feature a depth chart anchored by three backs who could all be gone after the 2020 season.  Vavae Malepeai and Stephen Carr are seniors, while redshirt-sophomore Stepp will be eligible for the 2021 NFL Draft.

Campbell joins youngster Kenan Christon as the future of USC’s backfield, and given the Trojans’ need for running backs, coach Mike Jinks’ pursuit of more talent in the 2021 class should continue. For now though, the running backs coach and his colleagues are celebrating the haul of Campbell.

Their method of choice? Mostly GIFs.

Campbell is the fifth commitment in the 2021 USC football recruiting class, joining Garcia, Ma’a Gaoteote, Jay Toia and Mason Murphy.

The class already looks better than last year’s disaster, ranking 13th nationally and second in the Pac-12. But of course, the signing days are a long, long way away, especially amidst a global pandemic.