O/NSO: Was USC’s recruiting class of 2023 good enough edition

The Obvious: The USC Trojans, for all intents and purposes, have completed another solid recruiting cycle, receiving the signatures of a number of highly prized high school players from both signing periods, a number of whom collectively were on the class of 2023 wish list. However, is a “solid” or even a good class moving fast enough to get the program where Lincoln Riley says he wants it to go? The Not So Obvious: Riley has proclaimed that prep recruits better get on the Riley Express Train now, or there won’t be any room for them as the train goes by. One recruit that bought into that talking pointing was the unexpected signing of 4-star tight end Walker Lyons from Folsom, Calif. Thus far, the Trojans’ recruiting class of 2023 has been ranked No. 13 in the country and No. 2 in the Pac-12, according to On3. Not bad and most colleges would love to be in this position. However, is this where Riley’s second recruiting class was expected to be nationally and regionally after his first full year of recruiting? We knew that Riley’s offensive skill recruiting toys were set in place when he took the USC job, but a question has always remained concerning his defenses.