Five-star Keenyi Pepe coming to USC would mean much more than a recruiting win

Keeping the best talent in-state and establishing family connections is seeing a renewed emphasis at USC. The staff's efforts in this regard are making an impression on recruits turned commits. Getting in early and having a good relationship with the athletes is helping the Trojans to secure a lot of talent for the upcoming season and future class of 2026.

They will hope that the immediate family tie can prove to help secure another notable high school senior who has yet to declare. Keenyi Pepe is a five-star recruit from IMG Academy. His brother, Kobe, is entering his senior season at USC.

The Trojans have a lot of work to do, as schools such as Miami, Florida, and Tennessee are reportedly interested in the lineman's talents as well. Having a family member already on the roster would likely help his eventual decision to join coach Lincoln Riley. At the same time, the OT will need to fully assess the college landscape and make what he views as the best decision for himself.

Adding five-star would mean a lot for the program

Even so, the Trojan staff, among a number of talented prospects, knows that there is a need to make the high school senior Pepe a priority. While the desire is to form close-knit, family-like bonds within the program, acquiring someone with his skill set who actually has a brother on the roster would be the ultimate indication that their collective approach is working.

Granted, there have already been a number of successes on the trail, and one player can't sink or swim the judgment of how the coaches are performing in their recruiting efforts. It would be something of a crowning achievement to show that USC can recruit top talent from a college factory in IMG Academy and persuade Pepe to choose the Cardinal and Gold over the other top D1 schools that are currently on his radar.