USC adds a key piece to its 2025 recruiting class

Lincoln Riley and the Trojans landed their first recruit of August—four-star OT Carde Smith, per On3.com.

Smith de-committed from Auburn in June and chose USC over the Tigers and Florida State. On3 ranks him the 21st-best offensive lineman in the 2025 class.

Smith, who comes in at 6-foot-6 and 295 pounds, attended Williamson High School in Mobile, Alabama. He becomes USC’s third commitment on the offensive line along with three-star recruits Willi Wascher and Elijah Vaikona.

The Trojans rank 18th in On3’s recruiting rankings and inside the top 5 of the Big Ten. The class currently has nine four-stars and a lone five-star, quarterback Julian Lewis, who’s recently visited Auburn, Colorado, and Indiana.

Offensive line play has been a struggle for previous Lincoln Riley teams. The Trojans struggled to protect Caleb Williams last year, ranking 105th nationally in sacks allowed with an average of 2.54 per game.

USC can’t afford to have what happened last year at the line of scrimmage in their first year in the Big Ten, as their schedule will pose some tough challenges. This year will also indicate the type of offensive lineman Riley is recruiting, as redshirt freshman Elijah Paige will take over at Left Tackle.

Nevertheless, this is a strong get for the Trojans as the season approaches.