USC Strikes Again: 4-Star LB Flips Commitment from Auburn to USC Trojans Football, Snubbing Miami, Ole Miss, and Florida in High-Stakes Recruiting Battle
In a major recruiting win for Lincoln Riley and the USC Trojans, four-star linebacker Jamal Anderson Jr. has flipped his commitment from Auburn to USC, sending shockwaves through the college football recruiting world. The Georgia native had long been considered a strong lean for SEC powerhouses, including Auburn, Miami, Ole Miss, and Florida, but ultimately chose to head west and join the rising powerhouse in Los Angeles.
Anderson, ranked among the top 20 linebackers nationally by multiple recruiting services, originally committed to Auburn earlier this year. However, USC made a late push, bolstered by a strong official visit and growing confidence in the Trojans’ future defensive identity under defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn. Anderson cited the coaching staff’s vision, the opportunity to play early, and the appeal of USC’s academic and NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) opportunities as key factors in his decision.
“The energy at USC is different,” Anderson said in a statement. “Coach Riley and Coach Lynn made me feel like a top priority, and I believe in what they’re building. This wasn’t just about football — it was about fit, development, and life after college.”
This commitment flip is another signal that USC is aggressively targeting elite talent across the country, not just in California. Anderson becomes the third four-star defensive recruit to join USC’s 2025 class in the last month, a clear indication that the Trojans are serious about rebuilding their defense to match their explosive offense.
The loss is a tough blow for Auburn, who had hoped Anderson would be a cornerstone of their future defense. It’s also a missed opportunity for SEC rivals Miami, Ole Miss, and Florida, all of whom had hosted Anderson on visits and remained in close contact until the final decision.
For USC, this win has broader implications. It proves they can out-recruit top SEC programs for talent in the South, a region long considered difficult to penetrate for West Coast teams. With Anderson on board, USC continues to build momentum as they prepare to enter the expanded Big Ten in 2025, where physicality and defensive depth will be more crucial than ever.
One thing is clear — USC isn’t just competing with the big names anymore. They’re beating them.
