What does D'Anton Lynn look for in a USC football recruit?

New USC football defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn recently sat down with Adam Breneman in a wide-ranging interview which touched on a lot of different topics. One point of interest in the conversation was what Lynn looks for in a recruit.

USC football recruiting is showing signs of improving, particularly for the 2026 class. The 2025 has had its share of hits and misses. The 2024 team has some talent among its starters, but depth could be a significant concern if the Trojans are hit hard by attrition and need to go further down their depth chart this season.

Lynn’s UCLA defense last season was tough and sturdy against the run, but the Bruins were also quick to the ball and did not look slow against Pac-12 offenses. UCLA smothered Utah in Salt Lake City. The Bruins didn’t win the game because their offense scored exactly one time, but Lynn’s defense kept the Utes under wraps, a marked contrast to what Bryson Barnes and Utah did against Alex Grinch and USC.

Here’s the full interview with Breneman:

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