USC’s top 2025 targets in Texas
It might be a bias of mine, being located in the great state of Texas, but I find myself focusing a bit more than some on USC’s recruiting efforts in Texas. Lincoln Riley and most of the rest of the USC staff obviously have heavy ties in the region and have shown in recent classes they are putting time and resources in place to recruit the state.
The state of California will be of the utmost importance in the 2025 class for the Trojans (as it should be), but I believe Texas (and Georgia) will fall in second place in terms of recruiting areas for USC.
The staff has a number of offers extended into Texas in the 2025 class, but there are a handful that seem higher on the board. Here are the names I view as being truly involved with USC.
Four-star RB Deondrae ‘Tiger’ Riden
Deondrae “Tiger” Riden fits the mold of being a top Texas running back as Kiel McDonald has shown he has a knack for landing.
Riden is the No. 148 overall prospect and No. 11 running back in the 2025 cycle, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. He is also the No. 27 player in Texas.
As a sophomore at Desoto, Riden had 194 carries for 1,339 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns. He averaged 6.9 yards per carry and 103 yards per game. He was one of the most productive backs in the state, as only a sophomore.
Even for a kid out of Texas powerhouse, Desoto High, that routinely puts players into the regional powers, USC is a school that stands out. And it comes in the form of both past and present. I asked Riden what his primary appeals for the Trojans were.
“The history, location, Coach McDonald, and then Reggie Bush as far as watching his film man.”
McDonald made his way out to Desoto this spring to check in on Riden. The two have a good relationship to this point, despite the limited communication available for 2025 prospects. Riden is a big fan of McDonald and loves the fact he is recruiting Texas hard.
Four-star WR Andrew Marsh
Marsh, the No. 17 overall prospect and No. 3 ranked wide receiver in the On300, has visited USC twice this offseason, once in April and again in June.
On his most recent visit, Marsh had a multi-hour sitdown with Lincoln Riley, getting the full pitch of USC’s program.
That conversation and visit has put USC firmly in the mix for one of the nation’s best.
“They’re showing me that they really want me and they’re willing to put in the effort to get me there,” Marsh told On3. “They always have good quarterbacks coming in, for sure, so that’s a really great thing to have in their pocket.”
“I had a really good three-hour conversation,” he continued, on his sitdown with Trojans HC Lincoln Riley along with his mother. “I got to know him really well and learn a lot about him, how he coaches, and his style. I really like it’s family-oriented over there. Family is huge for me, and at the end of the day it’s what I fall back on … Those are my people, so for him to take his time to make sure she’s good and everyone else is good, to take that family approach, that says something — that I’m a big priority for them and they really want me there.”
Four-star TE Jack VanDorselaer
VanDorselaer is ranked as the No. 302 overall prospect and No. 17 tight end in the 2025 cycle, according to the On3 Consensus, a complete and equally weighted industry-generated average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. He is the No. 52 prospect in Texas.
He currently has a top-9 of USC, TCU, Michigan, Oregon, Baylor, Miami, Texas, Tennessee, and Alabama.
VanDoreselaer told me previously that his relationship with tight ends coach Zach Hanson has started off strong.
While on his visit in June, the two will be able to connect and really grow their relationship to the next level.
Hanson has been excellent in recruiting tight ends for USC, landing five commitments in the last two classes, including the No. 1 ranked tight end in the nation in the 2023 class. He currently has two four-star prospects committed in the 2024 class.
Three-star TE Bear Tenney
USC has a major advantage in recruiting Tenney as his cousin is Trojans quarterback Jake Jensen.
Jensen has been recruiting Tenney hard, telling him he belongs in Los Angeles.
“He just tells me how much he loves it there. He’s saying I need to get to LA. And he just tells me how much Lincoln Riley and all the rest of the coaching staff has helped him be the best player he could be.”
Lincoln Riley is known for having some ultra-productive tight ends in his offense in the past. Riley has shown he will do that in Los Angeles as well with some high level recruiting so far.
“He said that in the past they haven’t had tight ends at USC like the ones he’s recruited there now. With the ones that he has right now, he says this year I’m gonna start seeing them really utilize them in more my play style. So he was just really excited to show me how they’re gonna use them this year.”
Four-star OT Michael Fasusi
Fasusi is the No. 28 overall prospect and No. 5 offensive tackle in the 2024 cycle, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. He is also the No. 5 player in Texas.
Josh Henson and USC have offered 10 offensive tackles in the 2025 class to this time, but Henson has identified Fasusi as one of his overall top targets for the cycle.
Henson was able to get Fasusi on campus in Los Angeles for the first time in June. Not only did Fasusi make the trip to see the facilities and talk with coaches, but he also camped and worked out for Henson and the staff.
Following that camp, Fasusi became one of Henson’s top priorities. Lewisville, Texas, where Fasusi is located is in the Dallas Fort-Worth area, where Henson has multiple recruiting ties from his time at Oklahoma State and Texas A&M. Lincoln Riley will also surely be a big part of this recruitment in the future.
Four-star LB Riley Pettijohn
Pettijohn is the No. 68 overall prospect and No. 8 linebacker in the 2025 cycle, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. He is also ranked as the No. 10 player in Texas.
This summer, Pettijohn was in Los Angeles for an unofficial visit. Pettijohn took his visit to USC with McKinney teammate and USC commit, 2024 running back Bryan Jackson. Being with Jackson was a beneficial aspect of his visit, but the Trojans impressed on their own as well.
Pettijohn’s relationship with Brian Odom is strong. He says he was impressed with Odom getting out to Texas during the spring.
“I mean, it does stand out. It just shows that he really wants to come see me and put in that effort. And when we talk, he tells me he looks for athletic linebackers that can run and fill gaps. And his scheme is just really good, he’s really good coach.”
The post USC’s top 2025 targets in Texas appeared first on On3.
