LOOK: Eli Manning stops by USC, dresses up as a Trojan with legendary linebacker

The USC Trojans are one of the hottest teams heading into the 2022 campaign with Lincoln Riley taking over as head coach with a clear goal set on revamping the storied program that has struggled to remain relevant for more than a decade.

While Riley — and the addition of former Oklahoma quarterback Caleb WIlliams highlighting an impressive group of talent that has joined USC since the former Sooners’ coach took over — the new energy and hype surrounding the program is palpable. From names like FOX Sports host Colin Cowherd, to various celebrities and former players that have shown a renewed interest in the program, the Trojans are relevant on the national stage once again, although the true test will begin when the 2022 season kicks off.

While it’s not uncommon to see former NFL players, rappers or public figures around the USC program, it’s difficult to understand how Ole Miss legend Eli Manning, who seemingly has no connection to Riley or the team, ended up going full Trojan mascot-mode in a photo that recently surfaced alongside former USC and NFL great Willie McGinest.

The college football world has learned that anything is possible in 2022 and Riley clearly has a way of attracting the biggest stars currently playing, former alumni,. And as the photo below clearly depicts, the New York Giants two-time Super Bowl champion who recently retired from an impressive 16-year career after getting selected in the first round of the 2004 NFL Draft was somehow swayed to literally go all-in for the USC Trojans.

Nothing to see here, just @EliManning rocking the Trojan Warrior’s gear next to an all-time Trojan warrior. #OnlyAtSC pic.twitter.com/30AwLY1Z0j

— USC Trojans (@USC_Athletics) April 4, 2022

Maybe the backstory of the photo and Manning’s visit to USC will eventually surface, but as strange as it sounds, all of this can only help the brand and new vision Riley and his staff is building.

Like Manning McGinist was one of the rare NFL players to extend their career for nearly two decades. The bulk of his 15 professional seasons — just one behind Manning’s 16 years in the league — ironically came with the New England Patriots. Anyone who follows the NFL understands the Patriots’ biggest nemesis during the magical run — when many labeled the franchise as a “dynasty” — was Manning’s New York Giants.

From 1990 to 1993, McGinest shined as a defensive juggernaut for the USC Trojans. He earned all-conference honors three straight years. During his senior year, he was a Lombardi Award finalist, and earned All-American honors and All-Pac-10 conference honors. McGinest finished his collegiate career with 193 tackles (134 solos), 29 sacks (171 yards), 48 tackles for loss (238 yards), and 26 pass deflections.

Again like Manning, the former USC star was a top-five selection when the Patriots took him fourth overall in the 1994 NFL Draft. During his 12 seasons with the team, he was named to two Pro Bowls and won three Super Bowl titles. McGinest also holds the postseason record for sacks. He was inducted to the Patriots Hall of Fame in 2015.

USC Trojans and Lincoln Riley have players and recruits buying in already

While it’s clear football is at the forefront as the college football world expects Lincoln Riley, his staff and a roster loaded with talent to immediately compete in 2022, it’s clear the current roster is already having a blast, while the nation’s top recruits are taking notice.

The USC Trojans football team is having a lot of fun during their spring practices, and some of it is coming at the expense of their coaches. Typically, players do drills like up-downs for discipline or conditioning purposes at the end of practice. But on Monday, it was the Trojans coaches who had to get in a few up-downs after losing a bet to the players.

The Trojans posted the video below to one of USC’s social media accounts showing coaches, including head coach Lincoln Riley, doing up-downs. And while the coaches were paying their dues, players of the team circled around them and, with much animation, directed them to completion of the drill.

They really got the coaches doing up-downs at @USC_FB 🤣 pic.twitter.com/evMhc4NFT8

— The Checkdown (@thecheckdown) April 4, 2022

In today’s new world off college football where NIL deals allow players to make money — and for USC top athletes like Caleb Williams who ranks No. 15 of all college athletes when it comes to NIL valuation rankings — it’s clear the nation’s top recruits are taking notice of what’s happening in SoCal.

Malachi Nelson is already a household name with many college football fans. As a Five-Star Plus+ quarterback, he made national headlines when he came full circle with his USC commitment four months ago. That commitment, along with an already strong brand, has allowed him to continually improve his On3 NIL Valuation as one of the most potentially profitable athletes in the nation.

The Los Alamitos (Calif.) High star now has an On3 NIL Valuation of $358,000. That figure is a $251,000 increase from past weeks. It is largely dictated by the market value that’s been increasing significantly with quarterbacks across the country.