USC Football Recruiting 2016: Top Remaining 2016 Recruits, Class Predictions

USC's recruiting efforts for the 2016 class have been understandably messy. The Trojans fired head coach Steve Sarkisian in October, spent most of their 2015 campaign under the uncertainty of an interim head coach and then made the somewhat surprising move to eschew big names to hire Clay Helton.

As of Tuesday, USC ranks 23rd in 247Sports' recruiting rankings. Only 13 players have committed to making the move to Los Angeles, the fewest of any team ranked in the Top 50. That leaves seven spots that can still be filled Wednesday, although that seems unlikely. Helton has only recently begun to finish hiring his coaching staff, and there are few things that make recruits more wary than uncertainty.

It will probably take at least a year before Helton establishes himself nationally as a recruiter, but there are nonetheless a few targets who could send USC inside the Top 20 on Wednesday. Here's a look a few remaining recruits who will at least give a cursory glance at the Trojans on national signing day.

CB Jack Jones

Of the major targets on USC's recruiting board, Jack Jones is the likeliest to sign on the dotted line. The 5-star cornerback is a local Long Beach Poly product who's seemed destined to be a Trojan throughout his recruiting process. 247Sports' crystal ball metrics give USC a 100 percent chance of landing Jones. Texas A&M and Alabama are the only other schools receiving consideration. 

Jones spoke about his decision with Raul Dominguez of USA Today:

"

It’s pretty hard. It’s the biggest decision of your life. Making the wrong decision could lead you in the wrong direction. Making the right decision could lead you in the right direction. It’s just a thoughtful process. Take your time with it and just see who really has the best intentions for you.

"

Jones would be a major boost to a class that features only one defensive back. Listed at 5'11" and 164 pounds, Jones is a speedster who played both sides of the ball in high school and brings a big-play ability that could transition to special teams. Eleven of his 42 receptions in 2015 went for touchdowns, and he's excellent at breaking on the ball in coverage.

“Jack is a really good athlete,” wide receiver Binjimen Victor, who is committed to Ohio State, told Dominguez. “He plays everything, receiver, corner…he could probably even play quarterback. He’s a great athlete. I kind of thought he was taller, but he’s explosive for his height, he’s really good. I went against him at DB, he’s a great defensive player.”

Jones might need to put on a little size before he's ready for the major college transition, but Helton would be more than thrilled to see his letter of intent.

Prediction: USC Commit

OT E.J. Price

While the Trojans will be hoping Jones sticks close to home, they'll have their fingers crossed E.J. Price wants to make a cross-country journey. The Archer High School(Lawrenceville, Georgia) product has been leaning toward staying in his home state. Georgia currently has a 79 percent crystal ball rating, with USC (14 percent) and Auburn (7 percent) rounding out the odds.

Price discussed Georgia's situation with Kipp Adams of 247Sports:

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Georgia, they need me at left tackle. They got Isaiah Wynn playing left tackle right now. He is a great player and plays great there, but he was kind of forced into that role. He is more of a guard/center. I would definitely have to come in and compete, but it is a great opportunity for me to come in and work hard. I control my own destiny at this point.

"

It'd be a shock at this point for Price to pick USC. Despite the crystal ball percentages, Auburn has been more regularly linked to Price in recent weeks. The Tigers brought in Herb Hand from Penn State to lead their offensive line, and Price was complimentary of the relationship he had with Hand and head coach Gus Malzahn, per Wesley Sinor of AL.com:

"

We already had a pretty good relationship. He's a very likable and personable guy. I enjoyed the experience and we are definitely on the same page. This is a huge weekend for me and he definitely did a great job of just explaining to me some more about his coaching strategies and how he works.

"

The Trojans appear to be a distant third here.

Prediction: Georgia Commit

DE Connor Murphy

Connor Murphy is, at the very least, among the most notable recruits remaining to make his decision Wednesday. The 6'7" defensive end was part of a handful of recruits to draw national attention due to their relation to Jim Harbaugh's...interesting antics. Murphy was at the forefront of Harbaugh's "Netflix and chill" recruiting efforts, hosting the Michigan head coach at his house last month.

"When got there after midnight, my family and him stayed up until about 1:30 a.m. eating banana bread, drinking milk and just talking," Murphy said, per Brandon Justice of Maize n Brew. "He slept in my six-year old sister's bedroom, so that was pretty funny."

Despite the attention Murphy has drawn from Michigan, USC is still seen as the favorite in his recruitment. Eighty percent of 247Sports predictions have sent Murphy to Los Angeles, with Ann Arbor coming in a distant second.

However, there are some red flags here. Murphy is the brother of Washington linebacker Trent Murphy, who played for Harbaugh at Stanford. Trent was present for the pair's Netflix and chill session, so there is some room for him to be swayed. It's also worth noting that Alabama received Murphy's final official visit over the weekend, and the Wolverines received an official visit the week before.

This feels closer to a 50-50 decision between Michigan and USC at this point. The Wolverines have been on an upward trend, but it's tough to go against the insiders here—especially after they've so decidedly went with USC.

Prediction: USC Commit