Lorenzo Cowan Richard Burkhart/Savannah Morning News / USA TODAY NETWORK

Lorenzo Cowan's flip from Kentucky to USC shows power of the official visit

By Andrew Kulha | Last updated 12/15/23

Never underestimate the power of the official visit, even in today's NIL-obsessed recruiting landscape.

Money will always talk, and that's why NIL has changed so much on the recruiting trail. With that said, the case of Lorenzo Cowan is a good reminder that the on-campus experience can be just as powerful.

Cowan, a three-star edge-rusher from Savannah, Georgia, entered last weekend as a Kentucky commit. In fact, he had been committed to Mark Stoops and the Wildcats since September.

He received an offer from head coach Lincoln Riley and the USC Trojans in October. This past weekend, he took an official visit to USC.

On Friday, he committed to the Trojans.

Cali Here I Come❗️✌️ pic.twitter.com/mLKv3QIhJw
— Lorenzo Cowan (@LorenzoCowan10) December 15, 2023

“I love the way coach Riley leads his team,” Cowan told On3 regarding his change of heart from Kentucky to USC. “I just wanted to be a part of the culture that they have there. The people that are on the team, they all show love. You always feel love all the time and you’re in L.A. It doesn’t get much better than that.”

At 6-foot-3, 220 pounds, Cowan is ranked as the No. 70 edge-rusher in the country, according to 247Sports. He'll go down as Riley's 19th 2024 commitment for a class that's ranked No. 17 in the country.

More must-reads: