USC Trojan Football Recruiting: Trojan's Latest Verbal and New Offers

On the surface, the recent verbal commitment of running back Jahleel Pinner to USC seems a head-scratcher.

After all, the Trojans are in scholarship limbo right now as they await the NCAA's ruling on their appeal, which may or may not restore five schollies to the men of Troy.

And Pinner, though chock full of potential and possessing good size (6'1", 225 lbs.), didn't even warrant a "star rating" from recruiting services such as Scout.com.

So why would the Trojans offer one of their precious scholarships to a relatively unknown and unheralded player?

Well, look a bit closer and the answer may reveal itself.

The Trojans need to develop depth at the fullback position and Pinner excels at blocking and is a very good receiver out of the backfield.

And other characteristics that he possesses and everyone seems to agree, is that Pinner is completely unselfish and only cares about winning.

But there is more.

At the recent Los Angeles Nike Camp, Pinner was named the running back MVP.

He is a late bloomer and his commitment to getting better is evident by the strides he has made in the offseason.

And other teams were taking notice of Pinner too as he was on the verge of offers from such programs as Nebraska and Wisconsin.

Finally, there was another factor that was in play that helped motivate the offer to young Jahleel.

His teammate last year at Mission Viejo High School was none other than incoming Trojan linebacker, Tre Madden.

Madden's character and commitment to the game is beyond reproach and a thumbs up by Tre probably sealed the deal for Lane Kiffin and the recruiting staff.

When taken in whole, the offer to Pinner doesn't seem quite so confusing and now Trojan fans just hope that he will justify their faith in him.

Of course, Trojan recruiting does not begin with a young running back's verbal commitment and it certainly doesn't end there.

USC continues to be active on the recruiting front and here are the latest offers made to a slew of talented prep players:

Kevon Seymour

This talented cornerback from Muir High School in Pasadena, California has all of the attributes one looks for in his position.

At 6'0", he has good length and although he will need to pack on some weight to the 170 lbs he carries now, he has the frame to easily accommodate that.

A 4-star prospect, as rated by Scout.com, Seymour has great ball skills and fundamentals and will see the field early for whatever program is lucky enough to land him.

Holding over a dozen offers from programs such as Oregon, Nebraska and Florida among many others, Seymour lists them all as "medium" in terms of his interest but Trojan fans will be happy to know he is leaning toward USC if he stays local which is a good possibility.

T.J. Yeldon

This 6'1", 200 lb. running back from Daphne, Alabama is a touchdown machine after scoring 40 of those in the last two seasons.

Elusive and fast, Yeldon will have to improve on his running between the tackles at the next level but has the frame and dedication to do so.

A 4-star prospect (Scout.com), Yeldon is a smaller and more polished version of USC's recent verbal, Jahleel Pinner.

Although USC is still being considered by Yeldon, they are probably going to be an afterthought for this talented ball carrier who holds offers from both Alabama and Auburn whom he lists as "high" interest-wise.

Josh Holsey

Another 4-star cornerback who has good size and nice speed (4.47 40-yard dash).

Holsey, who hails from Creekside High School in Fairburn, Georgia, has good ball instincts but like so many others in high school, will need to pack on more bulk to become an effective tackler.

Holsey holds many offers in addition to the one he received from USC but has narrowed his choices to four, mostly from the SEC, and the Trojans aren't one of them.

Joel Caleb

What is it with the Trojans and wide receivers? They just can't seem to get enough of them. The latest wide receiver USC has offered is Joel Caleb from Clover Hill High School in Midlothian, Virginia. 

Caleb does possess the size that the Trojans typically crave (6'2", 200 lbs.) and the 4-star (Scout.com) can be dominant at times but needs to improve his speed to excel at the next level.

Caleb holds offers from over two dozen programs including most of the top ones in the nation. He lists them all as "medium" on his dance card.

Deontay Greenberry

Yet another, yes, you guessed it, wide receiver.

Possessing that same good frame (6'3") but needing to pack on weight (he is only 180 lbs.), Greenberry will have to bulk up to be a force at the college level.

Ranked a 4-star prospect, Greenberry, who comes from Fresno, CA, holds many offers but is a heavy Notre Dame lean at this point.

Despite the Trojans fascination with wide receivers, which is probably the area they least need to recruit, USC is also looking for diamonds in the rough in other areas.

The next article will look at some of these players and also will update the offer list which now has some players that USC has offered giving verbals elsewhere.

Stay tuned.