USC football named in Top 4 for grad transfer OT KJ Wilson

Grad transfer offensive tackle KJ Wilson named USC football in his Top 4 schools.

Having lost both starting tackles from 2019, USC football is hoping to find at least replacement in the transfer portal.

On Monday, KJ Wilson took one step closer to being that guy for the Trojans when he announced a Top 4 including USC, West Virginia, Indiana, and Pitt.

The grad transfer from Hampton, an FCS program in Virginia, took to Twitter with a graphic sharing the news.

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“I want to thank all the coaches and schools that actively recruited me through this process,” Wilson wrote. “I will be making a decision very soon and here are my final schools.”

If Wilson or Hampton haven’t been on your radar you could be forgiven. Wilson, whose given first name is Keldrick, signed with Hampton in 2016 after making Second Team All-County at West Rowan High School in North Carolina.

He didn’t see any action in 2016, but started twice and played in 10 games as a redshirt freshman in 2017.

For unclear reasons, Wilson didn’t play in 2018, but he returned in 2019 and started at right tackle.

Even though he was unrated coming out of high school, it’s easy to see why Wilson has garnered attention from FBS programs. He is 6-foot-5, 299 pounds, and fits the bill physically.

USC added five three-star offensive tackles in the class of 2020, along with a four-star guard, with an eye on restocking the cupboard on the offensive line. In theory, one of those players, like Casey Collier, Andres Dewerk, Courtland Ford, Andrew Milek, or Caadyn Stephen, could emerge as a viable option to take over one of the tackle spots. However, that scenario seems unlikely. At least more unlikely than the Trojans finding a fully-grown grad transfer with starting experience to plug-and-play.

That’s what they did last year when landing Drew Richmond to take over at right tackle for Chuma Edoga.

The difference between Richmond and Wilson is obviously the competition level. The former came from Tennessee and started against SEC opposition. Wilson has played only at the FCS level.

Even so, USC could use the body and the competition.