USC finishes recruiting season with Rose Bowl-esque performance

The 2017 recruiting class put together by USC was commensurate of how the Trojans 2016 season played out, capped off by an epic Rose Bowl performance.

USC finished No. 5 in the 2017 team rankings, almost mimicking its No. 3 ranking in the final poll of the 2016 season.

After starting last season ranked No. 20, the Trojans proceeded to go 1-3, and looked like it was going to be a battle to become bowl eligible.

As well, after picking up a commitment from four-star defensive end Jacob Lichtenstein on Aug. 16, the Trojans did not get another until Nov. 13, in the likes of four-star quarterback Jack Sears, as recruits stayed away after a slow start on the field.

However, from there, the Trojans picked up steam. After winning nine straight games, which was capped off by a Rose Bowl victory, blue chips and recruits in general began to line up.

At the U.S. Army All-American game in January, USC kicked things off with the commitment from four-star defensive back Bubba Bolden and then six days later flipped four-star defensive tackle Marlon Tuipulotu from Washington, who then enrolled early.

Joining Bolden in the secondary, four-star Isaiah Pola-Mao committed to USC, following in the footsteps of his uncle and Trojan legend Troy Polamalu at the end of January.

That momentum came to a peak on singing day, much like the Rose Bowl, as the Trojans closed with the commitments from six recruits in the ESPN 300, moving them from outside the top 10 at the beginning of the day, to then inside the top five by the end.

Needing to load up in the trenches, USC signed 11 recruits, with five on the offensive side and six on the defensive side, highlighted by the No. 9-ranked offensive tackle Austin Jackson and the No. 9-ranked defensive tackle Jay Tufele on signing day

In all, the Trojans finished with 14 players ranked inside the ESPN 300, with a total of 16 four-star players overall.