Four-Star Recruit Jackson Roper Reveals Impression of USC After Spring Visit

Cherry Creek (Colo.) four-star interior offensive line recruit Jackson Roper made the trip to USC over the weekend.

“It went really well, I loved my time," Roper told USC Trojans on SI's Kendell Hollowell. "I loved being around my Colorado boys, it was great to see them. For practice, it was a ton of fun. It was great to be around the guys and be able talk with Lincoln Riley and coach [Zach] Hanson and continue building those great relationships. It was a great trip.”

Extended First Look at USC

USC Trojans Lincoln Riley Jackson Roper Zach Hanson Recruiting Breck Kolokay Official Visit Coliseum Spring Practice Recruit — Aug 30, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley watches from the sidelines against the Missouri State Bears in the first half at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Roper got an in-depth look at the football program on Saturday. He arrived on campus at 7 a.m. PT for team meetings and then headed position meetings with Hanson before taking in a practice at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

“What a beautiful stadium with so much history," Roper said. "Being a part of practice was great because you get to see what I look like compared to these guys. How do they move, what does the room look like, what can I see myself doing here. Seeing the competitive nature, that’s what you talk about with a high-level football team and those guys competed hard all day. And that’s the type of program I want to play at."

The trip gave him a chance an opportunity to reconnect with a pair of Colorado natives on the offensive line in freshmen Breck Kolojay and Kannon Smith.

Roper played against Kolojay, Smith and freshman tight end Mark Bowman in youth football. He’s been training with Kolojay for years at Six Zero Academy and played baseball with Smith growing up. He also comes from the same high school that produced redshirt sophomore offensive lineman Hayden Treter.

“The Colorado guys are doing well and what an exciting team with a lot of really good players," Roper said. "It’s going to be a fun team to watch this year. And being that close and a part of practice was great.”

Roper was able to have an extended conversation before and after practice with those Colorado guys and pick their brain on how to help prepare him for the next level and what their experience in Southern California has been so far.

Relationship with USC Coaching Staff

Roper has been in consistent contact with Southern Cal since picking up an offer last month. The four-star recruit says he’s talking with someone almost every day or every other day. Assistant general manager Dre Brown is heavily involved in recruitment, as well as coach Riley.

“It feels great. That’s the kind of thing you want to be around," Roper said. "Guys who want you and be in a wanted environment because that honestly gives you the most chances to have success in college. People are going to give you chances when they believe in you as a player. That’s the people you want to be around.”

His trip to campus over the weekend allowed him to continue building a strong relationship with Hanson.

“We built a relationship over the past month when they offered and put a face to a name," Roper said. "Coaching style, that’s a huge thing. I really loved the way he was coaching up his guys. He’s gonna push his guys and get on them but I loved it. You can tell they have a lot of trust and belief in what he has to say.”

Hanson is in his second season as the Trojans offensive line coach and made waves last cycle, signing players such as Kolojay, Smith, five-star Keenyi Pepe, and four-stars Esun Tafa and Vlad Dyakonov. Recruits have been drawn to him, and his current players rave about what he has meant to their development since taking over a year ago.

“The biggest thing that stood out was how guys react to what he’s saying," Roper said. "He doesn’t have to yell and scream or he’s not going crazy on guys. But that fact that when he’s talking people are listening because they respect him and know he’s knowledgeable and know he wants what’s best for them. You can tell everyone believes in him and is confident in him as a coach and that’s exactly what I’m looking for.”

In addition to spending an extended period of time with the football program, Roper got a look at the campus and see what college is like in Los Angeles.

“You can tell why people love it so much," Roper said. "The campus was beautiful, obviously an amazing education, which is really important to me and something I really value.”

Roper met with Riley and Hanson again later in the day and didn’t leave campus until around 4:30 p.m. PT.

Impact of Recent Trip to Los Angeles

Roper, the No. 9 ranked interior offensive lineman and No. 1 player in the state of Colorado, is highly sought after across the country, holding over 30 offers from premier schools in the Big Ten and SEC. But his recent visit to USC has made a lasting impression.

“It felt really individualized, Roper said. "To be there and get specific presentations towards me and details about the school, it felt really good and I felt really wanted. I feel like I was treated very well. It moved them in the right direction. We got a lot done and a lot covered.”

Busy Spring Itinerary

Roper doesn’t have anything set but he would like to return to USC again before taking his official visit on May 29. Saturday’s visit to Los Angeles kickoffs a very busy spring schedule for highly coveted prospect.

He will be at Nebraska on Tuesday. During his spring break in a couple of weeks, Roper is set to take a trip down south and get a look at several schools, including Georgia, Auburn, Vanderbilt and Clemson for the first time.

Roper has unofficial visits scheduled with Miami on March 31, Texas Tech on April 4, Ohio State on April 10, Michigan on April 11, Oregon on April 20 and Texas A&M on April 28.

“It’s going be a lot, but spring practice is huge for me with figuring out what’s really important to me and seeing these coaches in person and getting to be on some of these campuses I haven’t been to and seeing what’s best for me," Roper said.

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