USC football recruiting: Aaron Armitage names Top 5

Four-star defensive end Aaron Armitage included USC football in his Top 5.

USC football’s search for big men on the defensive line has taken them to New Jersey, where Aaron Armitage is mulling his college decision.

On Friday, the four-star defensive end announced his Top 5 schools and USC managed to make the cut.

“More than blessed for these opportunities. I would like to thank the coaches who gave me the opportunity to play at their school!” Armitage wrote. “I look forward to pursuing my future career in the game I love!”

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Accompanying the tweet was a graphic. Along with the Trojans, Armitage listed Florida, Oregon, LSU, and Stanford among his choices.

USC might have their work cut out for them when it comes to landing Armitage in the long run. The Crystal Ball experts over at 247Sports have pointed to Stanford as his ultimate destination.

Armitage stands 6-foot-4, 242 pounds, so he’ll have to grow into his frame before he can begin making an impact at the college level. Still, he is seen as a promising recruit, ranking 205th nationally in the 247Sports composite. He is the No. 16 strongside defensive end prospect in the class.

Brian Dohn of 247Sports sees Armitage as a potential “multi-year starter at a Top 20 program” thanks to his strong hands, athletic burst, and positional flexibility.

USC’s recruiting efforts in 2020 focused on interior defensive linemen like Jamar Sekona from Marin Catholic, Kobe Pepe out of St. John Bosco and Tuli Tuipulotu, the brother of current starting nose tackle Marlon Tuipulotu.

The Trojans have also already added a commitment from four-star defensive tackle Jay Toia for 2021. However, there is a shortage of defensive ends like Armitage on USC’s roster. And the numbers will only get shorter as the likes of Connor Murphy, Caleb Tremblay, and Nick Figueroa graduate.

Securing another body at defensive end would be a great help. The bonus of potentially keeping Armitage away from a Pac-12 rival like Stanford or Oregon would be welcome too.