USC football will be getting a massive boost on the defensive line next season—both metaphorically and literally. Former Texas A&M star Isaiah Raikes announced on Twitter Tuesday afternoon that he has committed to the Trojans, giving head coach Lincoln Riley and new defensive coordinator D'Anton Lynn their biggest win of the transfer cycle.

Raikes, a grad transfer who entered the portal on December 21st, commemorated his decision with a shirtless video of him donning a USC jacket and hat.

https://twitter.com/kooldademon/status/1744821728738488813

At 6'2, 320 pounds, Raikes figures to anchor the Trojans' interior defensive line in 2024 as the team's starting nose tackle. He posted 17 tackles and a sack with the Aggies last season, rotating in along the defensive front. The Richland, New Jersey native was a three-star recruit in the high school class of 2020.

Raikes is USC's second defensive line transfer this offseason, joining former Vanderbilt defensive end Nate Clifton. The Trojans are also bringing in four-star prospect Carlon Jones and three-star prospect Jide Abasiri from the high school ranks as part of a rebuilt defensive line featuring incumbent star Bear Alexander and former Texas A&M transfer and elite prep recruit Anthony Lucas.

USC went 8-5 in 2023, a disappointing result given the presence of superstar quarterback Caleb Williams, last year's Heisman Trophy winner and a potential No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. Though Williams and the Trojans' offense ultimately failed to live up to sky-high expectations, the team's true downfall came on the other side of the ball, where it ranked 116th out of 130 Division I teams in total yardage.

Lynn, who completely re-made rival UCLA's defense during his debut campaign as the Bruins' defensive coordinator last season, agreed to join Riley's USC staff in early December, replacing the previously ousted Alex Grinch.