USC Football finds the next Mekhi Blackmon in the portal with a Pac-12 pickup truck

Although USC Football did not make the College Football Playoff, they have taken advantage of the transfer portal. Head coach Lincoln Riley is getting pledges from the best players in the country after proving just how dominant his team can be.

Also, one of the biggest reasons USC didn’t make the playoffs was their defense. While there were plenty of stars on that side of the ball, the entire defense struggled, ultimately holding Riley’s Game Plan back from its true potential.

In that sense, USC Football recently received a commitment / Christian Roland-Wallace, one of the top defenders in the Pac-12. This Portal pick is significant because Roland-Wallace could single-handedly change USC’s defensive scheme.

After playing several seasons with the Arizona Wildcats, the main reason Roland-Wallace joined the transfer portal was to have a better chance to play in the NFL. With an elite head coach now guiding him, Roland-Wallace’s abilities will be maximized, leading to an increase in his draft stock.

However, Roland-Wallace and current USC corner Mekhi Blackmon have many similarities. Not only do they both play with physicality, but they also have great coverage and phenomenal footwork. This adds to the fact that Roland-Wallace fit is not an issue.

With the commitment of Christian Roland-Wallace, there is a lot less pressure on USC Football’s defensive strategy, especially on the defensive backs. Last season, the Trojans gave up 266.5 passing yards per game. Additionally, they allowed a 64.5 percentage and 23 passing touchdowns. Those numbers rank among the worst defenses in the nation for some.

Additionally, a former three-star recruit (and current four-star transfer) immediately fixes these issues. During the 2022 season, Roland-Wallace was targeted 62 times and allowed 34 catches and six pass breakups. These absurd statistics show why this addition was pivotal to USC Football and their championship goals.

Regardless, a high-powered offense and a locked-down defense lead USC Football to an impressive regular season record. Keys like Roland-Wallce pay dividends after the season ends. If both sides of the ball can stay healthy, there should be no reason why the Trojans aren’t ranked as one of the best teams in the country.