Georgia Bulldogs Commit Zech Fort On Flip Watch To USC Trojans?

Four-star safety Zech Fort is a top safety prospect committed to the Georgia Bulldogs, but Fort is gaining interest from several schools, including the USC Trojans.

Fort is the No. 127 recruit from the class of 2026, the No. 10 safety, and the No. 19 recruit from Florida, per the On3 Industry Rankings. He currently plays for IMG Academy in Long Beach (CA.) and is a four-star prospect.

Fort committed to the Georgia Bulldogs on Jan. 30, believing it is the best program to get him into the NFL.

Jan 2, 2025; New Orleans, LA, USA; Georgia Bulldogs Kirby Smart looks on from the field prior to their game against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Amber Searls-Imagn Images | Amber Searls-Imagn Images

“It’s a pipeline to the NFL,” Fort told On3 when he committed to Georgia. “They sent a lot of players to the league. . . . That’s the right fit for me. I’d like to be a part of something like that.”

Earlier in Fort's recruiting process, he spoke to former USC defensive backs coach Donte Williams, who was a big part of Fort’s recruiting process with USC. Williams now holds the same position with the Georgia Bulldogs.

Fort’s commitment has not stopped the USC Trojans from pursuing him. IMG Academy held its annual pro day on Feb. 27, where many programs came out to recruit Fort. The Trojans are one of the schools that are still pushing hard for the four-star safety.

“So many schools are recruiting me even harder now than they were before I committed,” Fort told On3. “Georgia Tech, Notre Dame, Miami, Florida, USC, and some others are recruiting me hard right now.”

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Fort is not shutting down his recruitment but is making it known that he is happy with his commitment to the Georgia Bulldogs.

“A lot of schools are coming hard and haven’t stopped talking to me, so I am just enjoying the process,” Fort said. “I still feel good about Georgia.”

Fort visited the Trojans on March 6, which was his second unofficial visit. He has not been back to the campus. He has spoken about USC coach Lincoln Riley and the Trojans in the past and had high praise for how Riley is changing the USC program.

“He’s changing USC around,” Fort told On3. “They’re becoming what they once were and had a huge turnaround last season.”

USC Trojans Lincoln Riley — 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

Playing at IMG Academy, Fort has been close to USC’s campus and has enjoyed his time there.

“I’ve been to USC a lot and every time it gets better and better.” Fort told On3.

Fort has another visit with the Georgia Bulldogs slated for June 13. If the Trojans can get Fort on campus for a visit, that could help flip the four-star safety.

Current USC secondary coach Doug Belk is listed by On3 as the primary recruiter for Fort. The USC Trojans will have to put in the work if they want to flip Fort’s commitment.

Fortunately, the Trojans are having success recruiting the class of 2026. The Trojans have the No. 2 2026 recruiting class per On3 and the No. 1 class on 247Sports. The team is not slowing down and is still pushing for the top players in the nation.

The Trojans do not have a safety committed in the 2026 recruiting class but have received commitments from two four-star cornerbacks in RJ Sermons and Brandon Lockhart, both in-state recruits.

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