USC Five-Star Plus+ DL commit Justus Terry is keeping his options ‘open’ heading into official visits
Manchester (Ga.) Five-Star Plus+ defensive lineman Justus Terry flipped to USC from Georgia on March 24. Despite being committed to the Trojans, the Bulldogs are still pushing hard for the 6-foot-5, 275-pound recruit along with Alabama, Florida State and Ohio State.
Terry, who is also being pursued by LSU and Oregon, has already locked in official visits to Georgia (May 31-June 2), Florida State (June 14-16) and USC (June 21-23). He is also working to finalize officials to Alabama and Ohio State.
“I’m feeling good,” Terry told On3. “Signing day isn’t until December, so my options are still open… As of right now, I’m still committed to USC and I’m feeling strong about them.”
Terry plans to travel to Georgia and USC among other schools for game visits before putting his signature on a National Letter of Intent. What happens next fall will likely play a key role in the No. 2 player in Georgia’s final decision.
“I definitely will watch how the season goes, teams’ records and their stats,” said Terry, the No. 8 overall prospect and No. 2 defensive lineman in the 2025 On3 Industry Ranking. “Seeing how coaches change is important too. I see their personality now, but after the season or during the season, will they still be the same? All the small, little details, I try to pay attention to them.”
Georgia and Alabama are trying to get Terry back to the SEC
Despite backing off his pledge to Georgia, Terry believes head coach Kirby Smart, defensive line coach Tray Scott and other Bulldogs staffers will “outwork everyone” to try and flip him back to Athens. He returned to Georgia for the Bulldogs’ spring game on April 13, less than a month after his commitment to USC.
“As of right now, they’re number two and still at the top,” Terry said. “They still have a chance and they’re pulling for me hard. I was born and raised in Georgia, so why not Georgia?”
A key reason why Terry is intrigued by Georgia is the SEC program’s “brotherhood.” He likes that the Bulldogs’ players have a strong bond with one another and that some of them knew each other before enrolling at Georgia.
Alabama is also pushing to get Terry back in the SEC. The Crimson Tide last hosted the five-star during the season, so he is excited to return to Tuscaloosa.
Associate head coach/defensive line coach Freddie Roach is leading Alabama’s charge for Terry. He has been impressed that Roach has “never stopped” recruiting him hard.
“I like the energy he brings and the smile he brings,” Terry said. “Every time I see him, he brings the same energy. He’s going to tell you the truth and he’ll keep it real with you.”
Terry has also met with Alabama first-year head coach Kalen DeBoer. The Crimson Tide’s head man visited him at his high school.
“He seems like a great coach and has a good personality,” Terry said. “I want to get around him, so I can learn more about him.”
Florida State and Ohio State are pushing hard for Terry
Terry has been a consistent visitor to Florida State during his recruitment. He went to Tallahassee on March 9, which marked his fifth or sixth time seeing the Seminoles.
Associate head coach/defensive tackles coach Odell Haggins has made Terry feel like a priority to Florida State. That is because he tries to reach out to the talented defender every day.
“Coach Odell is an old-soul type of coach,” Terry said. “He’s been there forever, so I know he’s not going anywhere. They are always a good school that I can trust because of the loyalty the coaches have with each other. I know they are not going to go anywhere and they’re going to stay and recruit me the right way. With them being in the mix, how could I go wrong?”
Terry will likely be at Ohio State within a few weeks of his official visit to Florida State. New Buckeyes running backs coach Carlos Locklyn is a key reason for his interest in the Big Ten program.
That is because Locklyn, when he was at Western Kentucky, was the first coach to offer Terry.
“When he got to Ohio State, I already had an offer from them,” Terry said. “He was like, ‘Now, I want to get you out here.’ He is the coach who saw something in me before everyone, so I have to give Ohio State a shot.”
Despite interest from other schools, Terry is still feeling good about his commitment to USC
Terry is currently the highest-ranked recruit in USC’s 2025 recruiting class. He was one of four players to choose the Trojans on the same day in late March.
The Georgia native is excited about the chance to learn from co-defensive coordinator/defensive line coach Eric Henderson. He joined USC in the offseason after coaching the Los Angeles Rams’ defensive line since 2019.
“They are telling me that they will always be here for me and I can always lean on them,” Terry said.
The Trojans are one of the most successful programs in college football. But that is only one of the reasons why Terry pledged to, and is still locked in with, USC.
“The reason I committed was the opportunity outside of football,” Terry said. “Los Angeles has a massive population and USC offers a great business education. I want to major in business and entrepreneurship.”
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