USC Trojans' Jide Abasiri 'Freakiest Athlete' On Lincoln Riley's Roster?

The USC Trojans have plenty of talented athletes on their roster, but arguably none of them stand out more than defensive tackle Jide Abasiri. Only a sophomore, Abasiri has the chance to break out in 2025 if he earns a starting spot.

Oct 8, 2022; Los Angeles, California, USA; USC Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley walks on the field prior to a game against the Washington State Cougars at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

The USC Trojans revamped their defensive front this offseason with some big additions through the transfer portal, but also retained key pieces that are expected to contribute.

Defensive tackle Jide Abasiri played a minor role in 2024 as a true freshman, but after an offseason of development under USC co-defensive coordinators D'Anton Lynn and Eric Henderson, Abasiri should be in line for playing time thanks to his athletic profile and growing skillset as a defensive lineman.

Oct 28, 2023; Berkeley, California, USA; USC Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley before the game against the California Golden Bears at California Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

Bruce Feldman of the Athletic listed Abasiri as the No. 38 player on his college football freaks list. Abasiri is the only player from USC to make Feldman's list.

"As a true freshman last year, the former four-star recruit appeared in 10 games and made seven tackles. The 6-5, 295-pounder from Minnesota has intriguing athleticism, having clocked 19.22 mph at nearly 300 pounds. More impressively, Abasiri’s 10-yard split was 1.60, which would be a good time for an edge rusher. He’s squatted 700 pounds," Feldman wrote.

It's big praise for Abasiri, who is expected to become an role player within the Trojans' defensive front. Last season, Abasiri was buried on the depth chart behind players like Gavin Meyer and Devan Thompkins.

Abasiri signed to USC out of high school, but the Trojans were not his initial choice in his recruitment. The Minnesota native was committed to his in-state school, the Minnesota Golden Gophers, before the Trojans were able to get into the picture. Just before the Early National Signing Period in 2023, USC offered Abasiri, got him on campus for an unofficial visit, and were able to flip him in a little over a month's span.

Now entering his sophomore campaign, Abasiri is battling it out with Thompkins for a role along the Trojans' defensive front. With his combination of size and length, Abasiri could also be a candidate to play on the edge.

"I'm just having fun. It's fun to just be able to jump into a new role and elevate yourself and teammates and trying to pushing yourself to be better. I feel like my pass rush has elevated my game a ton," Abasiri said during a media availability session earlier in the spring.

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Sep 3, 2022; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley reacts in the second half against the Rice Owls at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

In addition to Abasiri and Thompkins, the Trojans' defensive front will rely heavily on their transfer portal additions in Keeshawn Silver and Jamaal Jarrett. Both players will figure to slot along the interior defensive line.

Silver was the No. 1 defensive lineman and No. 25 player in the transfer portal according to 247Sports rankings. He will be somebody the Trojans need to count on in order to make a run to the College Football Playoff.

Jarrett will provide a run-stuffing presence with his 6-foot-5, 360 pound frame. He was the No. 16 defensive lineman and the No. 106 player in the portal.