Transfer portal destinations for former USC Trojans

The USC Trojans have officially seen 21 players enter the transfer portal this offseason. Those players include 2023 starters, players with seemingly bright futures with the Trojans, backups, and players who weren’t on the roster this past fall. Of those 21, seven of them have made public declarations of their next stop. Here’s a look at who’s headed where.

QB Malachi Nelson – Boise State

The path to the starting quarterback position at USC in 2024 looks to be blocked by Miller Moss after that tremendous Holiday Bowl showing and Moss keeping Nelson firmly away from the No. 2 job all season. In search of immediate playing time, Malachi Nelson found a fit in Boise State. The Broncos lost starting quarterback Taylen Green to Arkansas via the transfer portal this offseason. Boise State brings back a ton of starters, including four offensive linemen and standout running back Ashton Jeanty. Nelson should have a fairly straightforward path to starting next season for a Boise State team that won the Mountain West in 2023.

CB Domani Jackson – Alabama

USC cornerbacks coach Donte Williams left for Georgia this offseason and that departure immediately called into question what Domani Jackson would do. Jackson was always tied closely to Williams at USC, and he wound up entering the transfer portal as one of three former Five-Star Plus+ recruits to do so from USC this offseason. He narrowed things to Alabama and Michigan, two of his other favorites coming out of high school, and ultimately committed to Alabama. It’ll be fascinating to see what kind of playing time he can carve out there considering he started all season for the Trojans in 2023.

WR Michael Jackson III – Georgia

Wide receiver Michael Jackson III performed well every time he saw the field at USC, but those opportunities always seemed a little too few and far between for someone with his talent and production. Jackson found plenty of options in the portal and had a connection with Georgia staffer David Hill from his time at Desert Pines High School. Jackson visited the Bulldogs and is now committed there.

OT Michael Tarquin – Oklahoma

Offensive tackle Michael Tarquin was supposed to lock down one of the tackle spots for USC after coming over from Florida via the transfer portal. USC stuck him at left tackle throughout spring ball but clearly didn’t see enough from him there because he was shifted to right tackle just ahead of fall camp. Tarquin was eventually replaced as a starter a little more than halfway through the season by fellow transfer Jarrett Kingston.

RB/WR Raleek Brown – Arizona State

While Raleek Brown said that working at wide receiver in addition to running back was always part of the plan when he came to USC, it’s clear that he views himself as a running back first. This transfer was obvious from the second week of the season when Brown moved to scout team and it was made clear he’d explore using a redshirt year. Arizona State was one of a few schools to reach out and Brown found a fit there on a visit.

TE Jude Wolfe – San Diego State

Tight end Jude Wolfe dealt with injuries throughout his USC career and never truly made the impact he could have if he’d been healthy. Despite entering the portal, he stuck around and helped out in his final game for the Trojans, playing in the Holiday Bowl when starter Lake McRee went down with an injury during bowl practices. He quickly announced his commitment to San Diego State following the game.

CB Fabian Ross – Hawaii

Defensive back Fabian Ross played in two games as a true freshman in 2022 but did not see time during the 2023 season. He began his career at nickel before moving to cornerback this past offseason. Hawaii has done well to create a bit of a pipeline into Bishop Gorman via linebackers coach Chris Brown, who served as the assistant head coach, defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at the Las Vegas high school for seven years.

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