USC faces stiff competition for 4-star offensive line recruit

Loading up on quality offensive linemen in every recruiting cycle is a must for any program that wants to compete at the highest levels of the sport. Certainly, USC head coach Lincoln Riley knows that and that's why the Trojans are targeting Nick Brooks.

The massive 4-star prospect is one of the most coveted offensive tackles in the nation. Recently, he cut his list of schools to three and the Trojans made the list.

However, Brooks is considering two other blue-blood programs, Georgia and Texas. Thus, landing this 6-foot-7, 340-pounder is going to be tough.

For what it's worth, 247Sports.com has Georgia as the leader in this high-profile recruiting battle. That makes sense given that Brooks is from Loganville, Georgia.

Rated the No. 175 player in the nation and the No. 18 offensive tackle in the class of 2025, Brooks' offer list is impressive. In addition to his three finalists, he has offers from the likes of Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Florida State, LSU, Miami, Michigan, Ole Miss, Penn State, Tennessee, Wisconsin, and a host of other Power 4 programs.

Brooks took official visits to his three finalists back in late May and early June. Thus, some in the recruiting industry feel that a decision could be imminent.

Currently, there are three 2025 offensive linemen committed to the Trojans. Headlining that list is 4-star tackle Carde Smith from Alabama who committed to USC on August 5.

Also included in that group are three-star prospects Willi Wascher, an interior lineman from Washington, and Elijah Vaikona, a tackle from Rancho Santa Margarita, California. Thus, the Trojans already have a strong start when it comes to filling out their next O-line class. However, Brooks would take that O-line group from solid to elite.

The good news for USC is that the current crop of offensive linemen who are already on campus should stick around for a while (or as long as any player sticks around in the transfer portal era). Of the 15 offensive linemen listed on the 2024 roster, only three (Gino Quinones, Emmanuel Pregnon, and Jonah Monheim) are seniors this fall.

While all three of those seniors are expected to be in the team's two-deep this year, the fact that there is so much youth in the pipeline for the Trojans is a nice luxury. It means that landing Brooks is not going to make or break the program. Still, for the Trojans to get back to being a National Championship contender, this is the type of recruiting battle that Riley needs to win more often than not.