USC pass rusher Gus Cordova poised to disrupt opposing offenses in 2025

A lot of people understandably focus on the offense. With how the current college schemes are set up, every team needs an elite pass rusher who can simply wreak havoc and make his presence known to the quarterback.

That is what early enrollee Gus Cordova provides from the edge. Coming off an 18.5-sack season at Lake Travis High School in Austin, Texas, he will now look to carve a role out for himself in the coach D'Anton Lynn defense.

In a message shared by the freshman from the House of Victory X account, he extended his gratitude for the amount of support that he has received from the Trojan community and how excited he is to compete for USC this upcoming season.

The Texas native will have a great chance to leave an early impact in 2025 on the field. This is a defense that will be in its second year with coach Lynn. For the returners, it means increased familiarity with knowing what is expected from each position.

Newcomers like Cordova will have the chance to compete for playing in what is expected to be a well-oiled machine come the fall of 2025. When he starts playing in games for the Trojans, the opposing offensive line will have to deal with an athletic, skilled defender who is listed at 6'5" and 265 lbs.

Ready to turn heads at USC

It is his well-rounded skill set that has many excited to watch Cordova play at the collegiate level. With a lot of teams looking to find ways to get the ball downfield to their receiving targets, someone like Cordova makes it so that even on plays when he does not get to the quarterback, the QB will certainly feel rushed.

Anyone downplaying what this defense will look like in 2025, just wait. Players such as Cordova are going to help turn around the narratives of this severely underrated unit to date.