USC is looking to bolster its defense after a poor showing in 2023. The Trojan defense was one of the worst in the country, but Trojan fans remain hopeful after the hiring of former UCLA defensive coordinator D'Anton Lynn.
Samuel Okunlola was the latest target for this rebuild. Okunlola announced on Twitter/X that USC extended him an offer on Tuesday. Washington, Minnesota, Mississippi State, and Ole Miss were among a plethora of other schools that joined the fray for Okunlola.
@Samokunlola87 Cooking off dat edge with dat stupid euro wooo!!! Holla at my dawg!! #transferportal #DE #dline #passrush #blessup pic.twitter.com/29bB8DsFAU
— Pomp Sports Academy (@CoachPompilus) December 6, 2023
Okunlola is a redshirt freshman and despite him being listed as a second-string defensive end on the Pittsburgh Panthers' depth chart, he led Pittsburgh in sacks with five, to compliment six tackles for loss. The 6'4 245 pound Okunlola enrolled at Pittsburgh in January of 2022, and was a three-star prospect (247 Sports) coming out of Thayer Academy in Brockton, Massachusetts.
USC had a decent pass rush in 2023, but that was the lone bright spot of their defense this season. Okunlola has three years of eligibility remaining. The effort necessary to recruit any player with a ton of offers after entering the transfer portal is a lot. But the fact that Okunlola has three years left to play college ball makes him that much more attractive compared to, perhaps, a redshirt junior with one year of eligibility left.
To compound that, he likely could come in and give the Trojans meaningful reps, given the production he had at Pittsburgh.
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