OL Cooper Lovelace Commits to USC
Early Last week USC offered JUCO Offensive Lineman Cooper Lovelace (6-5, 325) from Butler Community College in El Dorado (KS). A few moments ago he announced his USC commitment via Social Media.
We reported he was on an official visit on May 6 and word was the visit went exceptionally well.
Lovelace’s recruitment took off in recent week with Power 5 offers from USC, Florida, Oklahoma St., Kansas and Iowa St. His offer list also includes Arkansas State, Central Michigan, Kent State, Louisiana, Massachusets, Rice and Tulsa.
He’s another class off 2022 commitment for the Trojans and will have two years of eligibility remaining. He’s just finished up his redshirt sophomore year at Butler. Lovelace is originally from Shawnee Mission East HS in Kansas City (KS) and didn’t start playing football until his senior year. So, Lovelace is still an extremely raw player from an experience perspective.
Jacob Rudner of 247Sports spoke to Lovelace on May 3.
“When I was on FaceTime with (USC head coach) Lincoln Riley the other night, he was at his house, I literally screamed,” he told Rudner.. “I lost it. I’ve been keeping it so cordial as much as I can but it was one of those moments where I was like, ‘Dude, what is going on right now?
“He offered me on the phone call 90 seconds in and we talked for 20 more minutes and I couldn’t tell you one word that came out of his mouth after he said that and I was having a full-on conversation and then it was the same thing with coach Napier calling me (on Monday). I didn’t even know what to say. The Florida Gators. It’s surprising but it’s not.”
USC’s Continued Transfer Portal Success
Lovelace is USC’s seventeenth commitment out of the portal.
The defensive line now has three of those, with Byrd joining Tyrone Taleni and Earl Barquet.
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Quarterback Caleb Williams is the headliner and was the top player available in the portal.
Running backs Travis Dye (Oregon) and Austin Jones (Stanford) sprinted to the top of the depth chart this spring. The wide receiver room got a big boost from Mario Williams (Oklahoma), Brenden Rice (Colorado) and Terrell Bynum (Washington).
Offensive lineman Bobby Haskins (Virginia) was injured but will be in the mix for one of the tackle positions this fall.
Defensively, Gentry and Shane Lee (Alabama) were huge pickups at inside linebacker. Height is a potential starter at rush end. Shaw will at least provide depth at safety if not push for more.
Cornerback Mekhi Blackmon (Colorado) seemed to have locked up a starting spot before an injury sidelined him late in spring camp. And Latrell McCutchin saw time corner, nickel and safety this spring.
