USC football adds Xavion Alford as transfer from Texas

Texas safety Xavion Alford will join USC football as a transfer.

Merry Christmas Trojan fans! The first gift of the postseason has arrived.

USC football dipped into the transfer portal for the second time as 2020 nears a close, picking up a commitment from former Texas safety Xavion Alford.

Alford put his name into the transfer portal earlier this week, prompting immediate speculation about USC as a potential landing spot.

The guessing can now end. The freshman will join the Trojans, according to his Twitter account.

Xavion Alford will boost USC football’s secondary at a time of need

Alford was the No. 139 prospect in the class of 2020. That would have made him the second-highest rated recruit in the Trojans haul for that notably disappointing cycle.

The 6-foot, 190-pound DB was recruited to Austin by Craig Naivar, who is now USC’s safeties coach. He stuck it out with the Longhorns even after defensive coordinator Todd Orlando in December of last year. By the time Naivar was let go by Texas following their bowl game, Alford had signed his national letter of intent.

Clearly, Alford wasn’t happy with his role in Texas’ defense this past season. He had four tackles in three games of action.

USC could use the reinforcement at the safety spot considering the potential (if not likely) departures of starters Talanoa Hufanga and Isaiah Pola-Mao. The Trojans have a wealth of defensive backs joining the class in 2021, but there will have to be quite a bit of mixing and matching as they figure out who will play what position.

Alford will give Naivar and company an extra option to slot in, whether he competes for one of the traditional safety slots or a role as a nickelback.

Last week, USC picked up a transfer for the defensive line in Alabama’s Ishmael Sopsher. The Trojans are definitely willing to fill holes via the portal going forward.