Francis Mauigoa sets commitment date: Does USC football have a shot for five-star OT?

Five-star USC Football Offensive Tackle recruiting target Francis Mauigoa (all recruiting ratings and rankings in article are as of 247Sports) has officially announced the date he will be making his commitment. It will be on the Fourth of July, so Trojan fans will be hoping for an extra memory to come on the holiday.

As for the likelihood of USC fans gaining that extra special memory of getting a commitment from Mauigoa on the Fourth, it's complicated. Many big analysts aren't so sure where Mauigoa will end up going, and not too many predictions are out there. Therefore, however, the predictions that are out there matter quite a bit.

Recently, USC Football Insider Scott Schrader of WeAreSC.com projected Mauigoa to come to SC. Schrader has earned his reputation as a very trusted recruiting source in the SC community--so clearly USC does at least have a shot at Mauigoa.

Francis Mauigoa is a perfect fit for USC football.

Francis Mauigoa is a perfect fit for USC football due to his size/speed combo. He's 6-5, 330 pounds yet still runs a 5.3 40-yard dash. SC's line needs beef, so Mauigoa's size covers that.

On top of that, though, Lincoln Riley's offense favors athletic and quick linemen due to the pace of the offense and the reliance on pulling linemen in the running game, among other factors. Riley needs athletes in the trenches, and he'd be getting one in Mauigoa. He's quite the overall recruit too, as he ranks as the No. 1 OT in the 2023 recruiting cycle.

He ranks as the No. 9 overall player. If SC really wants to get back to not only national prominence, but national dominance, they need to make this elite addition. SC only has one offensive lineman committed in the '23 class right now, and he's a three-star guy.

Three-star projectable recruits are important, but the team also needs some sure-things too. Mauigoa is the ultimate big fish, and would be able to make a massive dent in terms of establishing this class from what is currently a good one at No. 12 in the nation, to an elite one heading into the season.