Tackett Curtis Commits to USC
USC landed a huge commitment on Monday as four-star linebacker Tackett Curtis is officially a member of the Trojans’ 2023 recruiting class.
“I just feel like USC is the perfect fit for me and what I want to accomplish,” Curtis told WeAreSC Monday morning. “I would love to be apart of the team that puts USC back on top of college football. The staff is great , the scheme fit is great, and I could see myself playing for them.”
The 6-foot-2, 220-pound linebacker is the nation’s No. 100 overall prospect in the 2023 On3 Consensus. He’s also the No. 7 linebacker nationally.
Few defensive prospects in this class are as coveted by USC coaches as Curtis. He was a high priority for head coach Lincoln Riley, linebackers coach Brian Odom and defensive coordinator Alex Grinch at Oklahoma. And all three stayed in heavy pursuit when they made the move to USC. Odom visited Many High School in Louisiana as often as allowable under NCAA rules to constantly show Curtis that he was an absolute priority in this class.
That pursuit paid off as USC was able to beat Ohio State and Wisconsin in a tough recruiting battle.
“I have a really good relationship with that staff since they’ve been at Oklahoma,” Curtis told On3’s SamSpiegelman. “I’ve always clicked with Coach Riley and Coach Odom and the rest of the staff. 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.”
WeAreSC’s Scott Schrader posted a prediction for Curtis to USC and offered a myriad of reasons why, going into the relationships and some key points about what made USC the right fit for Curtis.
Curtis and His Fit at USC
Simply put, this is a huge recruiting win for USC. Ohio State and Wisconsin were chasing him hard but Odom spearheaded a big win on the trail for the Trojans.
Not only is this a statement to go into Louisiana for a player this talented, but Curtis will be a big addition to the USC roster when he arrives in Los Angeles. Odom and the Trojans have been working to fill out that inside linebacker depth chart this offseason.
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Curtis is the first inside linebacker to commit to USC in this class. Odom and the Trojans scrambled in the 2022 class to add three-star Garrison Madden late in the process when it looked like USC wouldn’t land a high school recruit at that spot. USC also brought in Alabama transfer Shane Lee and Arizona State transfer Eric Gentry since the end of last season. Those two will likely team with returning linebacker Ralen Goforth to provide a much-needed punch for USC in the middle of the defense. USC also brought in Utah transfer Carson Tabaracci as a long-term option at linebacker.
It’s another position upon which the USC coaches focused after taking over and looks to be in better shape now and going forward than when they found it.
Curtis has all the traits of an elite linebacker. He attacks downhill and delivers big-time hits with regularity. It takes just one or two clips of his highlight film to see why so many coaches wanted him as part of their recruiting classes.
USC’s 2023 Recruiting Class
Curtis is commitment No. 12 for the Trojans in this class. He’s also just the fourth defensive prospect.
He joins four-star cornerback Braxton Myers, three-star defensive lineman Grant Buckey and three-star safety Christian Pierce on that side of the ball.
Offensively, the class is led by five-star wide receiver Zachariah Branch, who just received a bump up to the No. 5 overall prospect in the 2023 On300 Rankings.
Quarterback Malachi Nelson is still one of just three Five-Star Plus+ prospects.
Wide receiver Makai Lemon, running backs A’Marion Peterson and Quinten Joyner, tight end Kade Eldridge and offensive linemen Amos Talalele and Tobias Raymond round out the class.
