Why Offensive Line Recruit Chase Deniz Committed To USC Trojans

The USC Trojans managed to pull off another recruiting victory, adding three-star offensive tackle Chase Deniz to their stacked 2026 class. Deniz is the No. 16 commit in the class and is the 10th in-state recruit that had pledged to USC.

Dec 27, 2024; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley reacts against the Texas A&M Aggies in the second half at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The USC Trojans have sprinted out to the top of the recruiting class rankings this offseason by reeling in many top prospects in the cycle. Many of the Trojans' commits are in-state prospects with ten out of the 16 commit residing in California.

USC coach Lincoln Riley and the Trojans have continued that trend with their latest commit, Chase Deniz. The three-star offensive tackle chose the Trojans over New Mexico, UCLA, and San Diego State among others.

Nov 16, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley watches game action against the Nebraska Cornhuskers during the first half at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

The No. 117 offensive tackle in the class, Deniz spoke with 247Sports about why he decided to pull the trigger and commit to USC before the summer.

"I love the program. I love the legacy of being a USC Trojan. It's a historic program. Great offensive lineman, great players come out of there. And just the ability to be a part of that history and being able to bring that legacy forward is pretty awesome," Deniz said.

The California native credited the Trojans' coaching staff for being consistent and direct with their recruiting approach.

"I love the OL coach, Coach Zach Hanson, Coach [Lincoln] Riley. I talked to them for a long time and hearing what they had to say about the future of the program, and where they saw me in that and what they thought about me, you know, I could tell they believe in me and believe that I can help their program achieve great success and bring them to the national championship level," Deniz said.

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One of the biggest reason Deniz decided to side with USC is because of the proximity of the school to San Diego, his hometown.

"The biggest thing that they also reiterated a lot that I really loved was being able to represent your state and represent your area in California because the best in California, the best in the West play for USC. So, being able to represent my state, it means more when you're playing for something. Your local team, it means more. And I thought it'd be really cool to stay home and represent my area," Deniz said.

Oct 25, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans offensive lineman Alani Noa (77) celebrates with teammates after the game against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Deniz is the third offensive lineman prospect to pledge to the Trojans. He joins fellow three-star John Fifita, and four-star Esun Tafa.

Riley and the Trojans have made it a point to go out and recruit the best prospects in the state, and they have succeeded at that up to this point.

Deniz's size at 6-7, 291 pounds will give him a high ceiling considering his big frame.

If his commitment holds, Deniz would become the third offensive tackle recruit USC has signed in two years as the Trojans look to continue to build for the future with big lineman in the trenches. In 2025, USC signed a pair of four-stars in Alex Payne and Aaron Dunn.