Elite LB Tackett Curtis commits to USC

Tackett Curtis left June torn between a trio of current and future Big Ten programs. Midway through July, one team finally began to separate from the pack.

Curtis, the On3 Consensus‘ No. 6 linebacker in the country, committed to USC on. Wisconsin and Ohio State finished behind the Trojans, who behind Lincoln Riley, Alex Grinch and Brian Odom — all of whom recruited Curtis during their previous stint at Oklahoma — won out in a very tight race for one of the nation’s top defensive prospects.

“I have a really good relationship with that staff since they’ve been at Oklahoma. I’ve always clicked with Coach Riley and Coach Odom and the rest of the staff,” Curtis told On3. “They’re all good, genuine people, but they know their stuff about ball, too. They’re gonna push me to be the best player I can be at the same time.”

USC put Curtis in right position to thrive

Ultimately, Curtis had strong ties to the coaches at all three schools. The only difference was which position he’d be able to fit in on Saturdays and eventually Sundays.

Wisconsin assistant Bobby April viewed Curtis as an outside linebacker. Ohio State defensive coordinator Jim Knowles preferred him inside. Odom and Grinch held a similar vision for the hybrid On300 defender as an off-the-ball linebacker.

“I have 100-percent confidence in Coach Odom and Coach Grinch,” Curtis said of his decision to not only pledge to the Trojans, but settle on a position at the next level. “If you look at some of the guys Coach Odom has coached … Kenneth Murray was a first-round pick to the Chargers; Brian Asamoah was picked early in last year’s draft. Those are two guys he’s developed along with Nick Bolton at Missouri. He’s a great linebacker, too. He has a great resume for developing people.”

Curtis aims to bring USC back

Oklahoma was among the early regional favorites for the four-star hybrid backer from The Boot largely in part of the efforts of Grinch and Odom. When the coaches arrived in Los Angeles, they made Curtis a priority. In the end, the allure of playing under the bright lights of Hollywood steered him in one direction.

When Curtis first visited USC in the spring for a practice, he couldn’t help but notice the energy level and intensity. He was moved by the emotion portrayed by the coaches, including Odom, as they usher in a new era of football under Riley — one that Curtis believes will include another championship.

“It’s definitely been a hard decision,” he said. “I was torn between all three and all would be perfect fits. All three are almost family by now. I feel USC has a lot of energy, everything behind them wanting them to succeed and be back and be great again. It would be awesome to be a part of the team that brought USC back to where they needed to be. I’d love to play for a team like that and they’re gonna be in the running for championships.”

Curtis is the nation’s No. 98 overall player regardless of position on the On3 Consensus, a complete and equally weighted industry-generated average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.