USC Football Recruiting: Nation's Top Receiver George Farmer Picks the Trojans

Five-star wide receiver George Farmer committed to USC on Friday night, following Serra’s 29th straight victory with a 35-10 win over Arroyo Grande in the CIF Southern Section Western bracket finals.

"I just called the USC coaches and said I was ready to commit," Farmer told USCFootball.com.  "I want to go over there and win some national championships."

Farmer said, “I thought about it with my family and it was just the right place for me.”

Alabama, California, Florida, Miami, Oregon, and others tried to get Farmer and he took some visits.  However, USC was always his favorite.

He’ll be reunited with former Serra star Robert Woods (Pac-10 freshman offensive player of the year), and opposing defenses are going to face one of the nation’s strongest receiving corps.  Robert Woods said, “I can’t wait to be reunited.”

Another very happy Trojan has to be QB Matt Barkley.  He also has outstanding redshirt freshman Kyle Prater who is a 6'5" receiver, and a top five prospect in 2009.

USC is now one of only four schools with two five-star commits.  They join Alabama, Florida State and Oklahoma.

Running back/cornerback De’Anthony Thomas from Los Angeles Crenshaw is the other.

The Trojans are hoping that Serra teammate Marqise Lee will also commit to USC.  He and Farmer both said that they would like to play together in college.

USC is hoping to add a lot of talent to increase the depth of the team and fill some holes.  The Trojans lose 19 seniors and possible a few other players, but they plan on adding up to 10 early enrollees plus 20* recruits for 2011. 

There are also 10 very good redshirts, so there could be 40 new scholarship athletes available to play for the Trojans in 2011.

The key to college football is recruiting, and USC has the best recruiters in the business. 

Head coach Lane Kiffin, defensive coordinate Ed Orgeron, and running backs coach Kennedy Pola know talent, and how to get them to see the benefits of a USC education and football tradition, which includes more players in the NFL than any other college team.

George Farmer certainly agrees, and there will be many more good ones in his class.

Other USC commitments include

QB: Cody Kessler (QB, Bakersfield), Max Wittek (QB, Mater Dei),

WR: Victor Blackwell (WR, Mater Dei)

OL: Marcus Martin (OL, Los Angeles), Cody Temple (OG, Bakersfield),

DL: Charles Burks (DE-LB, Edison), Steve Dillon (DE, Palmdale), Jalen Grimble (DE, Las Vegas), Sheldon Richardson (DT, College of Sequoias), Antwaun Woods (DT, Woodland Hills)

LB:  Tre Madden (LB, Mission Viejo), Kent Turene (LB, Lauderdale Lakes, Fla.),

DB: DeAnthony Thomas (CB, Los Angeles)

P/K:  Kris Albarado (P, Lake Charles, La.), Andre Heidari (K, Bakersfield)

LS:  Peter McBride (LS, Scottsdale, Ariz.)

USC top recruiting targets

OL:  Aaron Douglas (OL, Western Arizona CC), David Garness (OT, City College of S.F.), Troy Niklas (OT, Servite), Torian White (OT, Lakewood)

DL:  Viliami Moala (DT, Sacramento), Brennan Scarlett (DE, Portland, Ore.), Greg Townsend Jr. (DE, Beverly Hills)

LB:  Lamar Dawson (LB, Danville, Ky.), Jason Gibson (OLB, Gardena), Colt Lyerla (LB, Hillsboro, Ore.), Lateek Townsend (LB, Bennettsville, S.C.)

DB:  Marqise Lee (S, Gardena)

*The NCAA appeal decision is likely to be after the February 2 signing day, and USC has appealed five of the 10 scholarship reductions for 2011.  So, there will be 20 scholarships available.