USC HC Lincoln Riley visits elite 2025 OT Andrew Babalola
Things are beginning to pick up in the recruitment of Overland Park (Kan.) Blue Valley Northwest four-star offensive tackle Andrew Babalola.
Earlier this month, the 6-foot-5.5, 280-pounder was offered by USC. While over 25 other Power Five schools have already done the same, the Trojans are looking to stand out with Babalola. On Thursday, USC head coach Lincoln Riley was in the Kansas City metro area to visit Babalola.
Babalola took visits to Kansas State, Nebraska, Iowa State, Ole Miss and Oklahoma in 2023. K-State has already had him back in Manhattan for another trip this month.
“Each visit is pretty big for me right now,” Babalola told On3’s Chad Simmons back in November. “I talk to coaches, meet the head coach, see the off-the-field stuff and check out the atmosphere at games. I see what the crowds are like and how the players and coaches interact with each other. All those things are important to me.”
The spring is set to be crunch time in Babalola’s recruitment, as he’s looking to be committed by the summer. While many of the local programs around Kansas have garnered much of the interest thus far, there’s plenty of time for a high-profile school like USC to get in the mix.
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“I will take visits in the spring, see who comes the hardest and take it from there,” Babalola said. “When I make my decision, it will come down to two things for me. It is about the relationships with coaches and life after football. Football is not forever, so I want to go to a school that will take care of me after football.”
Babalola is now the No. 22 overall prospect and No. 4 OT in the 2025 cycle, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. He’s also the top-ranked player in the Sunflower State.
USC seeking top-notch 2025 recruiting class
The Trojans currently have just one commitment in their 2025 class — but it’s a big one. Carrollton (Ga.) five-star quarterback Julian Lewis has reclassified from the 2026 cycle — and while he’s still taking plenty of visits and working through his recruitment, he remains committed to USC.
Adding another prospect of Babalola’s stature would help Riley and Co. create a solid spine to a recruiting class. After hauling in a top-10 class in the 2023 cycle, the Trojans currently posses the No. 18 class in 2024, according to the On3 Industry Team Recruiting Rankings.