USC Recruiting: Trojans Lose 5-Star Cornerback Jalen Ramsey to Florida State

Updated at 1:50 pm PST: USC has also lost a verbal commitment from Torrodney Prevot. See tweet below.

If you jumped on a recruiting site this morning to check the status of USC's recruiting class of 2013, you probably became ill: USC is back down to a class of 11 due to 5-star cornerback Jalen Ramsey's flip and Torrodney Provet's decommit. 

According to Rivals, sources have indicated that Ramsey informed the Florida State staff that he will be committing to the Seminoles on Wednesday:

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Ramsey, who has been recruited from the FSU side by new defensive coordinator Jeremy Pruitt, didn't become a realistic target for the Seminoles until Pruitt joined the staff following the BCS Championship Game. Ramsey made an official visit to Tallahassee on Jan. 11.

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Scout also has Ramsey committed.

I projected him to flip last week, so Ramsey's switch shouldn't come as a shock to anyone—Ramsey is from Tennessee, and it was hard to fathom that he would not be pressured to stay in SEC/ACC country.

It's a big loss for USC, but it's time to move on.

It's going to be a gut-wrenching day for USC fans on Wednesday, because there are at least two more prospects who could flip as well: Torrodney Prevot and Nico Falah.

If head coach Lane Kiffin can stop the bleeding, retain commitments and sign Eddie Vanderdoes as well, then this won't be a complete failure. But USC needs to pick up another cornerback, and Kiffin should have had a contingency plan for Ramsey's decommitment.

L.J. Moore is a great prospect, but he doesn't indicate any interest in USC on his profile page. 5-star Priest Willis, a UCLA commit, would be an incredible get for Kiffin as well. 

Last season, the Trojans were torched on pass plays—as well as the run, come to think of it—under Monte Kiffin's Cover 2 defense, and former Cal defensive coordinator Clancy Pendergast is now the Trojan defensive coordinator. This should be a selling point, but right now it doesn't appear to be convincing prospects to keep their verbal commitments. 

USC has a strong class of defensive backs in safeties Su'a Cravens and Leon McQuay and cornerback Chris Hawkins—all currently enrolled at USC. It'll be interesting to see how USC responds to the loss of Ramsey.

I do know this: USC is only allowed to sign 15 prospects per class, and right now, the Trojans are at 12.

If that number doesn't increase with quality athletes on signing day, then this could be another long season.