USC Football: Trojans Miss Out on Top Edge Rusher Recruit
Salpointe Catholic (Tuscon, AZ) edge rusher Elijah Rushing has announced his commitment to the University of Oregon today on X.
He elected to head north to Eugene after committing a few weeks prior from Arizona. He decommitted from Arizona after acknowledging that the Arizona football program was heading in the right direction, but that it was no longer the best fit for him.
Prior to his first commitment, Rushing had USC on his list of top schools he was considering signing to. He is one of the best prospects in the country in the class of 2024 and joins a streak of talented defensive linemen to join Oregon.
Rushing stands 6-5 and weighs around 250 pounds. He is one of the highest-recruited prospects in the 2024 cycle, fielding offers from Notre Dame, Tennessee, and Georgia to name a few.
He is the type of edge rusher that defensive line coaches covet, combining enormous size with great speed and a high motor. Rushing likely would've come into the USC defensive end rotation sooner rather than later, to help solidify a defense that hasn't been all that great this season.
AllTrojans.com listed Rushing as a recruit that USC should focus on for the 2024 cycle. They will now have to look elsewhere if they intend on adding more commits to a class that lacks both volume and top-end talent. Rushing would've checked both of those boxes.
The USC defense is ranked 111th in the country in yards per game (420.9) but has gotten by on just enough production from their defensive line. They rank in the top 40 for total sacks on the season with 23.
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