College football fans know that in recent years commitments alone aren't enough for recruits to stay in their chosen schools. Flipping recruits has become as common as them committing to specific schools, which adds to the burden of college programs. Now, they must double their efforts to ensure their recruits stay where they are. Just take a look at USC Football managing to pry four-star safety Kendarius Reddick away from the University of Central Florida.
The Trojans have tried to recruit Reddick all summer, and their efforts have finally paid off. The six-foot safety from Thomasville, Georgia announced his flip on Monday, per Hayes Fawcett on X, formerly Twitter.
Reddick to USC
Kendarius Reddick is not the only recruit from Georgia to commit to USC for 2025. He joins linebacker Jadon Perlotte, defensive back Shamar Arnoux, and quarterback Julian Lewis. Moreover, prior to his commitment to the UCF Knights, he had also pledged to Auburn in February as a junior. However, despite his commitments, Reddick elected to entertain his options and visit other schools during the offseason.
Part of these visits was going to Los Angeles to make an official visit with the Trojans in June. Likewise, it's not hard to understand why USC Football would want to recruit Reddick, for he is, after all, the 24th-ranked prospect from Georgia, and the 24th-ranked safety in his class.
In his junior year, Reddick finished with 63 tackles, along with two sacks and four interceptions. Now he joins Arnoux and Trestin Castro on the Trojans' defensive line.
Prior to Monday, USC became the top contender in landing his services, ahead of Ole Miss, Kentucky, Florida, Alabama, Arkansas, Tennessee, and Michigan. USC football defensive backs coach Doug Belk also led the program's pitch to Reddick after making the first offer in January.
Upon landing Reddick, USC have now secured 17 commitments from the 2025 class. Moreover, flipping Reddick moved them up to the 13th spot in the Rivals team recruiting ranks, pushing them in the fourth spot among teams in the Big Ten.
USC Football prospects
Reddick joins Lincoln Riley's team that looks to bounce back from an underwhelming 2023 season. It came as a surprise to everyone considering Riley's promising first season with the Trojans, where they finished 11-3 and almost qualified for the College Football Playoff but lost to Utah in the Pac-12 championship game. Despite Heisman winner Caleb Williams' leadership, USC played one of the worst defenses in college football. Still, by adding players like Kendarius Reddick, the Trojans look to turn it all around.
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