USC football recruiting: Big DT prospects put Trojans on favorites lists

A pair of 2022 defensive tackles have USC football among their favorite schools. Can the Trojans make a push for the out-of-state prospects?

Every football program can use a big body or two on the defensive line. USC football is no different.

So it's good to see the Trojans in the mix for a couple of defensive tackle prospects.

The biggest is Walter Nolen, who is one of the elite prospects in the class of 2022. In fact, Nolen ranks No. 2 in the 247Sports composite rankings, just ahead of Trojan commit Domani Jackson.

Nolan dropped his Top 8 last week, including USC along with LSU, Alabama, Michigan, Georgia, Florida, Oregon and Ohio State.

Nolen plays for St. Benedict of Auburndale in Tennessee, so the SEC programs will have the regional advantage in this recruiting battle.

The interesting thing with USC is it's not clear the Trojans have officially offered Nolen. He hasn't announced an offer on Twitter at least.

USC made the cut from him Top 10 list in February, so perhaps this is a message.

Gabe Brooks of 247Sports compared Nolen to Leonard Williams. That's reason enough to make a run at him.

More recently, the Trojans also appeared in the Top 10 for Maxie Baudoin IV out of Louisiana.

Baudoin's favorites include USC, Auburn, ASU, Georgia, Tennessee, Texas A&M, Ole Miss, Virginia, Mississippi State and Florida State.

At 6-foot-3, 290 pounds, Baudoin is a three-star prospect with room to rise towards four-star status.

USC football is looking for 2022 defensive tackles

The Trojans added Ishmael Sopsher via the transfer portal this offseason while also welcoming Jay Toia and Colin Mobley as part of the 2021 recruiting class.

Still, the defensive line will lose some big figures after this season, with Caleb Tremblay and Nick Figueroa graduating. Brandon Pili and Jacob Lichtenstein can also depart if they opt not to use their extra season of eligibility.

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When it comes to someone like Nolen, the odds are long. However, defensive line coach Vic So'oto couldn't make a bigger statement in the recruiting game if he were to pull that one off.

There are others the Trojans can take a big swing at. Four-star tackle prospect Christen Miller is scheduled to visit campus in June. So is No. 4 DT Mykel Williams. USC needs to work on getting Nolen and Baudoin to campus as well.