USC Football: Why Trojans Offered Coveted 2026 Georgia Defensive Lineman

They call him "Tank."

James Carrington received a scholarship offer from USC on October 5th and took to social media to relay his excitement. There's a long way to go in his recruitment but should he commit, he would be joining a 2026 class accompanied by fellow Georgia product quarterback Julian Lewis, who many view as the top player in his class.

Carrington, a self-reported 6-3 275 pound interior defensive lineman also has offers from Alabama, Florida State, and in-state Georgia to highlight a couple of many. He is considered, at least by 247 Sports, the second-best player in the class of 2026 out of Georgia (right behind the aforementioned Lewis).

Why does USC, along with so many other schools want Carrington? I broke down his freshman season film in order to answer this question.

Evaluation

Carrington, an accomplished wrestler, comes in at a lean 275 pounds. The heavyweight actually plays light as a feather, bobbing and weaving his way through offensive lineman. His athleticism explodes off the film as he explodes through the line into the offensive backfield. Lining up at the 3-technique for most of his publicly-available film, Carrington displays both power and quickness in troves.

In addition to his rare athleticism, his motor is a sight to behold. College recruiters often cite a player's motor as a must-have when taking about defensive line play, and this heavyweight certainly checked that box in his film. His instincts are there, even when his technique fails him. It's rare if not impossible to find a completely polished high school football player, and Carrington is no exception. He is mechanical with his hands fighting, but like so many young defensive lineman, a bit too swim-happy. As his coaches likely remind him, he's be an up and under rip-type defensive lineman, only employing change-ups like the swim/arm-over after consistent bull rushing.

While not yet a polished prospect, the sky is the limit for this sophomore as he blasts through his 2nd year of high school football.

Bottom Line on James Carrington:

Any college would be lucky to have him. He projects as a high-floor, 3-down 3 technique in Alex Grinch's defense. Does USC have a good chance at landing him? AllTrojans.com will be keeping Trojan fans updated on this talented young man's recruitment as it develops.

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