The USC Trojans Sophomore That Could Put Big Ten on Notice Next Season

Following the No. 16 USC Trojans officially signing the No. 1 2036 recruiting class, the future looks bright in South Central. On top of incorporating a No. 1 class, sophomore defensive tackle Jide Abasiri will be a player to note next season.

Nov 29, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley celebrates with fans after the game against the UCLA Bruins at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The No. 16 USC Trojans are coming off a 9-3 regular season and now turn to their final game of the season, the Alamo Bowl on Dec. 30

The Trojans are also still in awe of their recently signed No. 1 2026 recruiting class, with incoming freshman across all position groups and the country. Looking ahead to next season, young talents that helped USC this season will continue to develop, especially sophomore defensive tackle Jide Abasiri.

Jide Abasiri Defensive Impact Player Next Season

Aug 30, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans defensive tackle Jide Abasiri (97) celebrates after a sack as center judge referee Amanda Sauer watches against the Missouri State Bears in the second half at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

As a sophomore, Abasiri played a large role on the defensive line this season, especially as a sophomore. The four-star recruit from Prior Lake, Minnesota built well off his true freshman campaign in 2024, which resulted in eight total tackles. This season, Abasiri finished with 24 total tackles, 3.5 sacks and one forced fumble.

Just behind defensive tackle Braylan Shelby, Abasiri was second on the Trojans defense in sacks with 3.5, side-by-side with defensive end Kameryn Crawford.

Against UCLA, the 6-foot-5, 295-pounder had his first career multi-sack game, finishing the night with 1.5 sacks. Now, with key pieces to the defensive line making their exit, including defensive tackle Devan Thompkins, Abasiri has the talent and experience to step in and make a difference come next season.

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The Trojans’ defensive line room is loaded with depth, including Shelby, defensive tackle Floyd Boucard, defensive ends Anthony Lucas and Kameryn Crawford, and standout freshman Jahkeem Stewart.

Stewart, the No. 1 recruit out of Louisiana, has been a force since arriving in South Central. Boucard is another key piece; although he missed a good portion of the season due to injury, he proved early on that he can be a dominant force up front.

Aug 30, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Missouri State Bears quarterback Jacob Clark (12) is sacked by Southern California Trojans defensive tackle Jide Abasiri (97) in the second half at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

When Shelby was asked about Abasiri prior to the season's start, his answer was simple, Abasiri is a force of nature that brings the competition.

"His ability to kind of just post his leg and kind of stand, it's absolutely ridiculous," Shelby said at USC's Media Day in July. "The things that Jide can do, and it awes everybody in the room every time. He definitely stands out when it comes to being a freak of nature."

Going into the Trojans final game of the season, Abasiri will be one to watch out for heading into next season.

Young Talent Will Pave The Way For Trojans Defensive Line

Nov 15, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley watches game action against the Iowa Hawkeyes during the first half at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

The No. 1 class in the nation belongs to the Trojans, which is home to some of the top signees in California and across the country. Especially between younger guys with experience like Boucard, Stewart and Abasiri, the line's development will be nothing but exciting to watch.

Some notable defensive line signee's joining the Trojans roster include four-stars Jaimeon Winfield, Tomuhini Topui and Simote Katoanga.

When Abasiri was asked about the future of the Trojans defense, with the plethora of young talent across the team, Abasiri made note that they made their case this year, when older guys were injured.

"Just the fact that we have so many young guys and, you know, they're all super talented. Our older guys, you know, they were injured, they were sick, so the young guys had to step up. And seeing them ball out and, you know, do their jobs to the the correct standard has been super exciting. So, it gives me hope for the future," Abasiri said after the UCLA win.