Josh Henson Feels Good About USC's Class of 2023 Offensive Linemen

USC offensive line coach Josh Henson has faced his toughest task of the season over the past month, getting the Trojans’ line ready to play in the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic without its two All-Americans in center Brett Neilon and offensive guard Andrew Vorhees. But Henson took a moment during his Cotton Bowl media availability on Friday to talk about the group of five offensive linemen the Trojans announced during the early signing period as part of USC’s 2023 recruiting class.

USC needed a big group of high school linemen this season. The Trojans signed three in 2021 and promptly lost two to the transfer portal. USC did not sign a high school lineman in the 2022 class. Those are not numbers that will provide depth or competition along the line in years to come. The Trojans did add junior college lineman Cooper Lovelace and Virginia transfer Bobby Haskins this season. And Florida transfer Michael Tarquin, who announced his commitment yesterday, is going to be a significant factor in 2023.

This group of five high school signees will play a large role in the USC offense down the line. There is talent and an array of skill throughout the group.

“Number one, I think we brought in size,” Henson said. “But I think with that size, we brought in athleticism. I think we brought in five guys that love to play football. They’re very intelligent. They’re all really good young men from very good families, from good programs.”

Four-star offensive tackle Elijah Paige is the headliner as far as the recruiting services are concerned. The 6-foot-7, 302-pounder is the nation’s No. 241 overall prospect and No. 20 offensive tackle in the 2023 On3 Consensus. Interior lineman Micah Banuelos isn’t far behind. He’s another four-star prospect and the nation’s No. 399 overall prospect. The 6-foot-3, 290-pound Banuelos is likely destined to play center for the Trojans. He was an immediate target for Henson when he made the move from Texas A&M to USC.

“When you turn their film on, you not only see high-low athleticism for their size, but you also see strain and finish and guys that love to play the game,” Henson said. “That’s the main thing you’ve got to have.”

Three-star prospects Amos Talalele and Alani Noa are Northern California prospects. They both stand out when it comes to that combination of size and athleticism. Talalele is 6-foot-5, 330 pounds and likely could have been a defensive lineman at the next level as well. The 6-foot-4, 320-pound Noa is the nation’s No. 510 prospect but was a coveted recruit by both Oregon and USC.

The group of five is rounded out by 6-foot-6, 270-pound offensive tackle Tobias Raymond, who was involved in a very quick recruitment by USC.

Making an Impact Down the Line

It’s never a good idea to expect an immediate impact from offensive linemen. As it stands now, it appears USC is putting the pieces together ahead of them so they won’t be asked to contribute in 2023. And that seems to be how Henson sees it as well. Paige is the only one of the five who will enroll early at USC, so he’ll have a significant head start on the others. Henson said that in 22 years of coaching, he thinks he’s seen six linemen start as true freshmen, and around half were strictly due to injuries to players ahead of them.

“They’re true freshmen,” Henson said. “We’ll see where they’re at…It’s always tough to do on the offensive line. You have got to make contact with somebody every play.”

But regardless of whether they see the field in 2023, 2026, or sometime in between expectations are high for this group.

“I feel really good about this crew,” Henson said. “I think in the long run, they’re going to end up being very productive and we’re going to really look back and think that this was a heck of a class.”