For Immediate Release

PrepStar Magazine

February 7, 2007

USC Wins National Recruiting Title for the Class of 2007

Going into National Signing Day, PrepStar Magazine ranked the USC Trojans recruiting class 3rd nationally, behind the Florida Gators and Texas Longhorns. PrepStar publisher Jeff Duva was quoted in today's edition of the Los Angeles Daily News predicting that Joe McKnight, PrepStar's #1 ranked athlete, would surprise the recruiting world by signing with the USC Trojans over the in-state favorite LSU Tigers. PrepStar's prediction proved to be right when McKnight announced at his press conference that he was headed to Troy. With McKnight (PrepStar's #1 ranked athlete), and the commitments of Mark Tyler (PrepStar's #1 ranked RB), and Broderick Green (PrepStar's #8 ranked RB), the Trojans have recruited one of the nation's best classes ever at the running back position. Adding more firepower to the Trojan offense are the additions of PrepStar's #4 ranked QB in Aaron Corp and PrepStar's #1 ranked wide receiver Ronald Johnson.

And if that wasn't enough, the Trojans inked two offensive linemen ranked nationally in the Top 15 in Kristofer O'Dowd (#8 ranked OL), and Martin Coleman (#11 ranked OL). On the defensive side of the ball USC is just as good. The Trojans signed two of the nation's Top 10 defensive linemen in Everson Griffin (#3 ranked DL) and Da'John Harris (#6 ranked DL). At the linebacker position the Trojans signed the nation's top linebacker prospect in Chris Galippo from Anaheim, Calif. Marshall Jones, the nation's #6 ranked DB will help in the secondary and PrepStar's #3 ranked athlete Malcolm Smith will also be spending the next four years as a Trojan.

Once again. Pete Carroll and his staff have inked a pretty remarkable recruiting class, especially when taken into consideration the incredible classes USC has enjoyed over the past three years. With so much depth on the team roster and most elite prep players looking for early playing time, the ability for USC to pull-off the nation's top recruiting class once again is even that more amazing!

In total, the Trojans have signed a class of 18 incoming freshmen. Twelve of USC's recruits are ranked in PrepStar's Top 100 Dream Team, and five other signees were all members of PrepStar's Elite Top 250 All-America team. The Trojans also singed the top prospect from Canada in tight end Trey Henderson from Vancouver, British Columbia. Although both Florida and Texas signed more players in numbers, no class was able to match the quality of ranked players from top to bottom. USC was the only recruiting class in the nation where all of the signees were ranked in PrepStar's Elite 250 or higher. Florida signed 27 players with eight players earning PrepStar Top 100 Dream Team honors and nine PrepStar Elite 250 All-Americans. The Longhorns signed 24 players with eight PrepStar Top 100 Dream Teamers and ten more making PrepStar's Elite Top 250 All-America team.

RANK / COLLEGE

1 SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

2 FLORIDA

3 TEXAS

4 TENNESSEE

5 LSU

6 SOUTH CAROLINA

7 AUBURN

8 NOTRE DAME

9 GEORGIA

10 MICHIGAN

11 GEORGIA TECH

12 NEBRASKA

13 OHIO STATE

14 OREGON

15 MIAMI

16 ILLINOIS

17 PENN STATE

18 WISCONSIN

19 OKLAHOMA

20 TEXAS A&M

21 CALIFORNIA

22 CLEMSON

23 VIRGINIA TECH

24 IOWA

25 ALABAMA