USC Stays Hot on the Recruiting Trail, Landing 4-Star Linebacker Matai Tagoa’i

Tagoa’i Was Highly Sought After By Traditional College Football Powerhouses

USC is becoming a thorn in the side of the Georgia Bulldogs. As previously reported in Gridiron Heroics, USC recently flipped five-star recruit Justus Terry from Georgia. And, the top quarterback in the 2025 recruiting class, Julian Lewis, who is from Georgia, is also committed to USC. Now, the Trojans have landed another highly regarded prospect who the Bulldogs had set their sights on.

Back in the Fall of 2022, the Georgia Bulldogs thought they had Tagoa’i lined up to play in Athens. They were so impressed with him that they extended an offer to him when he was only a high school sophomore:

“The Georgia Bulldogs and defensive backs coach Fran Brown have offered a scholarship to class of 2025 athlete Matai Tagoa’i….

“Tagoa’i plays high school football for Faith Lutheran High School in Las Vegas, Nevada. The 6-foot-4, 185-pound athlete primarily plays wide receiver and defensive back. The sophomore shows impressive versatility as a defensive back.

“Why is Georgia offering the Faith Lutheran star so early in the recruiting process? Well, if you check out Matai Tagoa’i’s tape[,] [which is linked here], then you will see why….

“Offensively, Tagoa’i is an excellent run blocker as a wide receiver. [However, we] see him more as a defensive back at the next level….

“Tagoa’i displays great instincts, is an aggressive hitter, a sound tackler, and can line up at multiple positions. The lengthy defensive back will continue to add to his frame. Tagoa’i frequently plays in the box as a run defender….”

He also received an offer from Nebraska.

Additionally, Tagoa’i was the “top target” of the Washington Huskies based on his “unique build that could lend itself [to playing] at either linebacker or safety” in college.

Tagoa’i Chooses USC

On April 1, 2024, 247Sports reported:

“San Clemente (Calif.) linebacker Matai Tagoa’i has committed to USC and broke down why he chose the Trojans.

“Tagoa’i is one of our favorite linebackers in the country and is currently rated the No. 80 player nationally in the 247Sports Composite and No. 71 in the Top247.

“‘There were a lot of reasons why I chose USC,'” Tagoa’i said. “‘I really love the culture change that’s going on there with the new defensive staff.’

“‘I quickly formed a strong connecting with coach [D’Anton] Lynn [DC] and coach [Matt] Entz [LB coach]. I love the defense they’re bringing in and how well I fit in to their scheme. I think I can be a key contributor and the staff did a really good job showing me how they plan to use me so I’m really excited.’ …

“‘I loved being on campus the last few times I was there,’ Tagoa’i said. ‘The family atmosphere really caught my eye and everything just felt right about USC for me.’

“‘They always say you get that special feeling when you know a school is right[,] and I felt it at USC….

“Tagoa’i is an intriguing player and has one of the higher ceilings of any player out West. At 6-4, 195 pounds, he has a projectable frame and does a little of everything well.

“He’s an explosive athlete and shows natural pass rush ability with a quick get-off and can really get around the edge. He has very good closing speed and can run down plays from behind.

“He’s a fluid athlete and looks natural dropping in coverage and plays with a nice edge in his game as well. We’ve seen him playing linebacker at 7 v. 7 events[,] and he’s natural playing in space and dropping in coverage and will offer a ton of positional versatility to the Trojans defense.”

On3 rates Tagoa’i as the nation’s No. 68 overall prospect and the No. 11 linebacker in the 2025 recruiting cycle. The Trojans feel fortunate to have him.

The Trojans’ 2025 recruiting class, now rated number three in the country by On3, keeps getting better.

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