Nation's No. 1 TE Duce Robinson commits to USC

The last uncommitted five-star prospect in 2023 is finally off the board: Phoenix (Ariz.) Pinnacle five-star tight end Duce Robinson has committed to USC.

The 6-foot-5, 225-pound pass-catcher chose the Trojans over Georgia, Texas, Oregon, Alabama and a number of other programs, giving USC a third five-star commitment in the 2023 cycle.

Robinson is No. 23 overall recruit and No. 1 tight end in the 2023 cycle, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.

While he was originally expected to sign by February 1, Robinson ultimately postponed his decision as he mulled over his top schools, as well as his potential MLB Draft status. In addition to being a top-flight football prospect, Robinson is a potential first-round pick in this summer’s MLB Draft, adding an extra later to his recruitment.

USC held off Georgia, Texas and more

The Trojans were once considered the strong favorites to land Robinson, but both Georgia and Texas made strong pushes over the past six months, with Georgia grabbing momentum late in the cycle and looking like the likely destination.

However, Robinson likes the fit he could have in USC’s offense and also the proximity to his family in Arizona and ability to train in Los Angeles for his baseball career.

“The offense (Riley) runs, it’s a big-play offense, where they let playmakers shine,” he told On3’s Chad Simmons back in November. “So that would be really cool, to play for an offense like that. It is close to home, which is always pretty nice. And then, I do have a good relationship with a bunch of the guys they’ve got coming in in my class. So I think a little bit of all that helps them.”

As a senior Robinson caught 84 passes for 1,614 yards and 14 touchdowns.

He currently has an On3 NIL Valuation of $226K. The On3 NIL Valuation is the industry’s leading index that sets high school and college athletes’ projected annual value (PAV). The NIL valuation does not act as a tracker of the value of NIL deals an athlete has completed to date. It rather signifies an athlete’s value at a certain moment in time.

Duce Robinson Scouting Summary

“Jumbo athlete with a large catch radius who looks like one of the better tight end prospects over the last few recruiting cycles. Has outstanding statue and length at over 6-foot-6 and 230 pounds with a 6-foot-10 wingspan. Plays and moves like a receiver at that size. A smooth, fluid mover who showed continued improvement in top-end play speed as a junior, running away from defensive backs. Has one of the largest catch radiuses in the 2023 cycle and consistently wins in contested situations.

… Was the top pass-catcher at the Opening Finals prior to his junior season and created a considerable mismatch over the middle of the field. Turned in a very productive junior season with close to 1,000 receiving yards. Has an outstanding multi-sport profile as one of the nation’s top baseball prospects and also plays basketball. Will need to continue getting stronger to aid in blocking, but has the look of an elite tight end prospect with five-star upside.” — Charles Power, On3 Director of Scouting and Rankings