How Jide Abasiri’s Position Flexibility Bolsters USC Trojans Defensive Line

Jide Abasiri is no longer a young player on the team. The USC defensive lineman has become a more vocal player in his third season with the program. He is also down 15 pounds from a year ago to prepare for his new spot on the Trojans defensive front.

"I stepped into a bigger leadership role," Abasiri said at Big Ten Media Days. "I'm obviously playing more snaps on the outside this year than inside. Just being able to play all over the line is where I've excelled at, and that's what coach [Gary] Patterson has been doing.”

The Rise of Jide Abasiri

USC Trojans Lincoln Riley Big Ten Media Days Chicago Gary Patterson Recruiting Class Jide Abasiri Jahkeem Stewart — Jul 28, 2026; Chicago, IL, USA; USC student-athlete Jide Abasiri speaks during Media Days at Hilton Chicago. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Abasiri was a late riser in the 2024 class. He picked up an offer from the Trojans in November of his senior year. A month later, Abasiri flipped his commitment from in-state Minnesota to USC after taking an official visit.

It’s been a steady, uphill progression from Abasiri since he arrived three years ago. He became a rotational player as a true freshman and saw action in 10 games. Last season, Abasiri appeared in all 13 games, including nine starts.

Now in year three, Abasiri was one of three player representatives for the Trojans at Big Ten Media Days. USC coach Lincoln Riley had some lofty admiration at the podium when discussing why he brought the junior defensive lineman to Chicago.

“A guy that we recruited from Minnesota that came in a few years ago,” Riley said. Was a developmental player that has worked his tail off to become one of the best defensive linemen in our league. A very versatile player. He's a guy that does everything right in our program. He's always on time. He never misses anything.

“He has just stayed steady throughout his entire career," he continued. "And I think he's a great example to a lot of guys out there that maybe you don't have that dream season right away in the beginning, but you just stay with it and stay steady, and that's what he's done, and that's why he's here representing us today.”

Abasiri is widely regarded as the strongest player on the team. It’s very rare to find a defensive lineman of his size with defined muscle tones in the upper body. That strength has translated to the field.

Even though he’s a little bet lighter, a move to defensive end should allow the Trojans to be stronger against the run. Having a strong front four would be essential in the linebacker room making vast improvements from last season. Abasiri also registered 3.5 sacks from the interior last season.

Depth and Talent in Defensive Line Room

Football starts at the line of scrimmage and USC has spent the past few years assembling a defensive front that could not just compete but thrive and create chaos in the Big Ten.

The Trojans have a great combination of returning plays, transfer portal additions and a freshman class that features seven newcomers on the defensive line, headlined by Luke Wafle, the No. 1 overall recruit, and Jaimeon Winfield, a five-star recruit and Tomuhini Topui, a local standout from Mater Dei (Calif.).

Alex VanSumeren and Zuriah Fisher were two transfers from Michigan State and Penn State, respectively, that have plenty of Big Ten experience. Kameryn Crawford, Braylan Shelby, Jahkeem Stewart, Floyd Boucard and Jamaal Jarrett are key returners from last season.

Jaydn Ramos is a player to keep an eye on in his second season. The same goes for freshmen Braeden Jones and Simote Katoanga. It’s a luxury to have a defensive front that could legitimately go three-deep on its depth chart.

There is more talent and experience on the defensive line than any other point since Riley arrived four years ago. Having someone like Abasiri creates depth at two positions.

Sign up to our free newsletter and follow us on Facebook, and X for the latest news.

Add us as a preferred source on Google