Anthony Lucas is the newest name joining the USC Trojans, after the sophomore announced his transfer from Texas A&M on Wednesday.

The defensive lineman is a former five-star recruit in the Top247 rankings for the Class of 2022. Lucas has three years of eligibility remaining and joins the Trojans as a true sophomore for next season.

“I will forever cherish the relationships that I have built in College Station,” Lucas wrote in a farewell Twitter statement on Jan. 3.

“After careful reflection and discussion with my family, I have I have decided to enter the transfer portal…Thank you Aggieland!”

https://twitter.com/Anthonylucas201/status/1613273205099360257

The Arizona native is a massive addition to the Trojans' defensive corps, which ranked among the worst major teams in the nation in 2022, per CBS. The 6-foot-6, 270-pounder was rated the No. 1 player in the state of Arizona out of high school and accumulated 10 tackles and a tackle for loss in seven appearances for the Texas A&M Aggies.

Lucas will work to replace All-American Tuli Tuipulotu, who led the national with 13.5 sacks in his junior season. He joins other talented transfers, including fellow five-star recruit Korey Foreman and former Purdue Boilmaker Jack Sullivan.

USC was ranked No. 106 nationally in total defense, according to CBS, and led only Colorado, Vanderbilt, Arizona and Stanford among Power Five schools in yards per play allowed.

Defensive coordinator Alex Grinch will return to the Trojans in 2023 after an abysmal campaign, and Lucas will be relied on to help the defensive core turn things around next season.

Anthony Lucas was part of Texas A&M's historic 2022 recruiting class that ranked No. 1 of all time, although the school lost 25 scholarship players to the transfer portal, the most in the United States, after a 5-7 season.