Jack Sears Flips from Duke to USC: Trojans Poised for Strong Close to 2017 Cycle

USC was among the weekend’s biggest winners on the field last weekend after defeating previously unbeaten Washington 26-13. 

But for Trojans head coach Clay Helton and his staff, the good news kept rolling on Sunday when 4-star quarterback Jack Sears flipped his commitment from Duke to USC, according to Tom Loy of 247Sports.

The 6’3”, 205-pounder had been committed to the Blue Devils since August.

However, with him now scheduled to be an early enrollee for the Trojans, he filled a major void at quarterback that has USC primed to close the 2017 cycle on a strong note. 

There are a few reasons why Sears’ flip is a huge coup for Helton and his staff.

For starters, Sears—who rates as the nation’s No. 11 quarterback and No. 133 player overall in the 2017 cycle—is a dynamic dual-threat passer who can hurt defenses with his arms and his legs.

According to MaxPreps, Sears threw for 2,697 yards with 37 touchdowns and two interceptions as a junior. He added another 862 yards and nine scores on the ground.

Through 11 games as a senior at San Clemente High School in California, he’s putting up similar eye-popping numbers. He’s thrown for 1,660 yards with 24 touchdowns and two interceptions while rushing for 690 yards and seven more scores. 

With the emergence of redshirt freshman passer Sam Darnold—whom Sears once backed up at San Clemente—the Trojans have rebounded from a 1-3 start to win six games in a row.

Adding a dynamic talent such as Sears at the most important position on the field could reap similar benefits to USC’s 2017 class—which currently rates as the nation’s No. 14 class and the No. 2 class in the Pac-12 behind Washington.

The Trojans are heavily recruiting offensive standouts such as 5-star receiver Joseph Lewis and 5-star offensive lineman Austin Jackson. 

Additionally, Helton and his staff are pushing to flip premier talents such as 5-star running back Najee Harris and 5-star offensive lineman Alex Leatherwood—both of whom are committed to Alabama.

Having stability at quarterback is a factor that likely appeals to all of the other elite talents that the Trojans are pursuing.

Regardless of how USC finishes, the future of the program appears to be as bright as it has been since Pete Carroll left the program for the NFL.

Adding Sears is the latest sign that the reemergence of USC will be one of the nation’s most intriguing storylines to watch on national signing day.

Sanjay Kirpalani is a National Recruiting Analyst for Bleacher Report. Unless otherwise noted, all quotes obtained firsthand and all recruiting information courtesy of Scout.com.

Follow @SanjayKirpalani