USC Football Recruiting: Trojans Move into Top Spot for 2013 Cycle

Here we sit six-and-a-half months from signing day, but the big recruiting news keeps coming down the pipe. Last week, it was The Opening and new 5-stars at 247 Sports.

Then the Reuben Foster flip to Auburn happened, and things got wild on the recruiting trail. Now, with Lane Kiffin going into the state that hates him the most (Tennessee) to grab a commitment, there is more news on that front.

As Patrick Brown of the Chattanooga Times Free Press reported yesterday, Brentwood Academy cornerback Jalen Ramsey has become the 15th member of Lane Kiffin's 2013 commitment list.

With that act, out of a place where the name "Kiffin" is synonymous with pure evil, the Trojans made the leap to the top of the charts for 247 Sports and Rivals. The men of Troy sit in second place for Scout and ESPN's recruiting services. 

Kiffin has been killing it on the trail, and now things will get interesting. Remember folks, recruiting is a marathon, not a sprint, and the USC Trojans are still battling sanctions that limit their scholarships.

While the University of Southern California is at the top of two services, they will have to sit and watch, defending their commitments as schools like Alabama, Florida, Notre Dame, LSU, Georgia and Michigan continue to add key members to their class.

Another big note with the Trojans moving above Alabama is the role Reuben Foster played in that flip at Scout and ESPN. Foster is one of the nation's top recruits, so losing the linebacker most certainly hurts the Crimson Tide. 

As for Lane Kiffin and the Trojans, this is where inquiring eyes will turn to watch the coach closely. Roster management is a hotly contested issue in college football, and how Kiffin handles getting talent into the roster with scholarship sanctions should be on everyone's minds.

Will the coach force kids out of the program for under-performing? How are team rule violations treated going forward? How many kids go pro, along with those who plump for early enrollment? Can Kiffin squeeze to take on a couple more scholarships?

The entire balancing act will be something worth keeping an eye on. For now, the Trojans are tops in two services; where they end up come February 2013 remains to be seen.