Official: Massive Boost as USC Football Flips 4-Star Safety Away From Central Florida
Lincoln Riley continues to rebuild USC’s defense on the recruiting trail and his latest commitment will help those efforts in a big way.
It’s clear that Lincoln Riley is dedicated to establishing a strong defense at USC. While some critics may doubt his commitment, the reality is that he and his team are successfully securing key defensive recruits.
In fact, of the top six recruits in the 2025 class who have committed to the Trojans, five play on defense. Recently, one of those recruits officially joined USC.
Kendarius Reddick, a 4-star safety from Georgia, has switched his commitment from UCF to USC, as reported across various social media platforms. This is a significant win for Riley.
🚨FLIP ALERT🚨 4-Star S Kendarius Reddick has FLIPPED from UCF to USC👀🔥 pic.twitter.com/RqjoO2OOP1
— Rivals (@Rivals) August 13, 2024
The 5-foot-11, 170-pound Kendarius Reddick is ranked by 247Sports as the No. 14 safety and No. 173 overall player for the class of 2025. Unsurprisingly, he has a strong offer list, including schools like Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, Florida, Miami, Michigan, North Carolina, Ole Miss, Tennessee, and Virginia Tech, among others.
Andrew Ivins of 247Sports describes Reddick as “a versatile safety who plays quickly and confidently.” He measured around 5-foot-11, 170 pounds last spring after his sophomore year and performed well in testing. Primarily playing in a Cover 2-heavy system in one of Georgia’s highest classifications, he recorded 127 tackles and four interceptions over 27 varsity games, according to MaxPreps.
Reddick is noted for being a three-level defender who can contribute in run support near the line of scrimmage while also covering intermediate to deeper zones. He tracks the ball effectively and is willing to leap to make plays, though he needs to improve in one-on-one coverage and enhance his hand skills to reach his full potential as a true defensive asset. Based on his current performance, he should be considered one of South Georgia’s top prospects for the 2025 cycle, with potential value as a blitzer and on special teams due to his physical style of play. He has the potential to be a multi-year starter and all-conference player.
This addition is significant for several reasons. Firstly, it demonstrates Riley and his coaching staff’s commitment to enhancing the defensive talent in the program. Among the 17 players currently committed to USC for 2025, eight are defensive players, with five being four-star recruits.
Moreover, USC is broadening its recruiting reach beyond California and even out of traditional Big Ten territories. Notably, the Trojans are making inroads in SEC regions.
Including Reddick, USC has four current commits from Georgia and three from Texas. Additionally, the class includes players from Alabama, Missouri, Tennessee, and Virginia.
It’s encouraging to see Riley and his staff leaving no stone unturned in their efforts to bolster their talent pool, especially on defense. Currently, the Trojans hold the No. 16 ranked class nationally, placing them fifth in the Big Ten. If Riley continues to attract talent like Reddick, that ranking is sure to improve.