WATCH: USC target DJ Lagway at the Steve Clarkson QB Retreat
The Steve Clarkson QB Retreat is annually home to the best high school and college quarterbacks in the nation. This year, the elite group took to Lincoln Middle School in Santa Monica. USC quarterback Caleb Williams was in attendance as one of the college counselors. And just as interesting for USC fans, Class of 2024 quarterback DJ Lagway was there as a participant.
The 6-foot-2.5, 225-pound Lagway is one of the nation’s best in his class. He’s the No. 15 overall prospect in the 2024 On3 Consensus and the No. 4 quarterback. The 2024 On300 Rankings are equally high on Lagway. He comes in as the No. 18 overall prospect and No. 3 quarterback there. He’s a four-star prospect right now, but if he remains among the top 20 prospects throughout this cycle, a fifth star is assured.
Lagway is an impressive prospect, from his stature to his athletic ability and demeanor. USC fans can get a sense of the 2024 quarterback here:
Lagway as USC’s Newest QB Target
Lagway came onto the USC radar in a big way earlier this month when the Trojans’ top target, Dylan Raiola, committed to Ohio State. USC head coach Lincoln Riley typically chases one quarterback at a time and he doesn’t often miss. Williams waited until the last possible moment to announce his commitment this offseason. The Trojans never panicked and offered another quarterback.
Raiola announcing for Ohio State gave USC fans a chance to see how Riley operates when he doesn’t get his guy. There was no immediate moving on with offers going out to other targets.
Lagway stuck around in Los Angeles this weekend and took an unofficial visit to USC on Monday. That’s when the big news came that Riley and the Trojans had found their new top quarterback target for the 2024 class.
This won’t be an easy recruitment to win. Other programs have a head start here. And those are no ordinary programs. Alabama, Clemson, Georgia, LSU and Texas A&M are all showing significant interest and have Lagway’s attention.
But Lagway knows what would await him at USC, both with the Trojans’ and Riley’s history at the position.
USC’s Quarterback Recruiting
It’s been an impressive bounce back at the position for a program that lost long-time starter Kedon Slovis and true freshman standout Jaxson Dart to transfers in the same offseason. The Trojans held onto second-year quarterback Miller Moss and made the huge splash with Williams out of the transfer portal. USC also just landed a commitment from juco bounceback Jake Jensen to fill out the depth chart this season.
In the 2023 class, USC is on the board in a big way with Five-Star Plus+ prospect Malachi Nelson. He’s the nation’s No. 2 overall prospect and No. 2 quarterback. It’ll be interesting to see how Riley is able to recruit a 2024 quarterback who would come in on Nelson’s heels. It won’t be impossible, but Alabama, LSU and Texas A&M are all without 2023 quarterback commitments at the moment.
