Top recruit unsurprisingly decommits from USC football’s 2025 class

Lincoln Riley experienced his first significant 2025 recruiting class setback when Isaiah Gibson decommitted from USC on Tuesday. The five-star defensive end from Warner Robbin’s (GA) was a headliner among Riley’s class, including Justus Terry and Julian Lewis.

Gibson and Terry verbally committed to the Trojans in March. Lewis has been committed since August 2023.

Gibson’s decommitment is unsurprising.

Several college football recruiting analysts have gone on record believing that USC will lose one or two of its committed players from Georgia. Indeed, early commitments from high school players are sketchy, especially when they commit to colleges on the other side of the country. Gibson’s change of heart occurred on the heels of an official visit to Ohio State.

Gibson is expected to end up with a program closer to home, like the Georgia Bulldogs or Auburn Tigers. On3’s Recruiting Prediction Machine (RPM) lists Georgia as a 49.7% favorite to sign the EDGE player. However, USC remains in second place with a 43.2% chance.

Losing the No. 1 EDGE player in the 2025 recruiting class hurts but frees the Trojans from chasing an unserious player about coming to Los Angeles. Gibson has not completed nor was scheduled for an official visit to USC. That differs from Terry, who is scheduled for a visit this weekend.

Eric Henderson is currently USC’s most valuable recruiter.

Co-defensive coordinator and defensive line coach Eric Henderson has done incredible work since joining the Trojans this offseason. The former Los Angeles Rams assistant hit the recruiting trail strong and has established numerous relationships with top players.

One reason Gibson committed to USC without a visit was because of the conversations he had with “Coach Henny.” Alas, Henderson has the potential to lure the defensive end back to Southern California before National Signing Day. After all, re-recruiting once-committed recruits is a reality of contemporary college football.

USC will now direct its attention on other top defensive line recruits who have visited campus or will visit this week.