USC football recruiting: Expert predicts Ty Buchanan to pick the Trojans

USC football is gaining ground in recruiting three-star offensive lineman Ty Buchanan.

Ty Buchanan just narrowed his list of schools down to 10, but USC football already seems to be making a big impression.

On Wednesday, the Trojans landed their first prediction in the 247Sports Crystal Ball.

They’re now even with Texas Tech in the running for the offensive lineman out of Corpus Christi.

The new projection comes from USCFootball.com’s Gerard Martinez who tends to have his finger on the pulse of imminent Trojan commitments.

USC football is looking to add more offensive linemen like Ty Buchanan.

A week ago, Buchanan named his Top 10 with USC in the mix along with UNLV, Purdue, Oklahoma State, FIU, Texas Tech, Colorado, Vanderbilt, Indiana and San Diego State.

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He picked up an offer from the Trojans in early August, so the Trojans have made a strong push for the 6-foot-5, 280-pounder in the last two months.

Buchanan fits the profile of offensive linemen USC brought in for the class of 2020. He’s not particularly highly-rated, ranking No 965 in the 247Sports composite for 2021.

What Buchanan does have is a good frame, the athleticism from transitioning from tight end earlier in his high school career and “a mean streak,” according to his offensive line coach.

USC is banking on similar type prospects outperforming their recruiting rankings under the tutelage of Tim Drevno while prioritizing quantity in offensive line recruiting.

If the Trojans can pick up Buchanan, their offensive line class for 2021 will boast four new bodies. Those include four-star tackle Mason Murphy, three-star tackle Saia Mapakaitolo and three-star offensive guard Maximus Gibbs.

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The class of 2020 had six offensive linemen on board, which will help USC cope when they lose the services of senior linemen Bernard Schirmer, Liam Jimmons and Frank Martin (though NCAA eligibility extensions could delay those departures). Alijah Vera-Tucker has already declared for the NFL Draft while Brett Neilon, Andrew Vorhees and Jalen McKenzie will also face pro decisions in the near future.