Lincoln Riley's USC successfully flips 4-star LB Jadon Perlotte from Georgia: Reports

Four-star linebacker Jadon Perlotte has reportedly flipped his commitment from Georgia to USC's 2025 class. The prospect had been publicly committed to the Bulldogs since Dec. 8, 2022, but his commitment appeared shaky for several months.

Despite his pledge to Georgia, Perlotte continued to explore his options, taking official visits to Miami, Alabama, Tennessee and Georgia over the summer. His interest in the Trojans began in the spring of 2023 when coach Lincoln Riley's program extended an offer.

Per On3, the recruitment efforts by USC's new defensive line coach, Eric Henderson, played a big role in securing Perlotte's commitment as an edge prospect.

Perlotte's enthusiasm for USC was also evident after the commitment of Julian "JuJu" Lewis to the Trojans. In an interview with On3, he expressed his excitement about Lewis' decision and his admiration for USC, citing former Pittsburgh Steelers safety Troy Polamalu as his favorite player and his positive experiences at the program. That was when several recruiting channels predicted that he was going to flip from Georgia to USC.

With Perlotte's apparent departure, the distinction of being the longest-tenured commitment in Georgia's 2025 cycle now belongs to tight end Elyiss Williams. The program's commitment count for the 2025 cycle has also dropped to 21.

What does Jadon Perlotte's commitment mean for USC?

According to national recruiting analyst Greg Biggins, Jadon Perlotte's game is tailor-made for the next level due to his exceptional positional versatility. Standing at 6-foot-3.5 and weighing 210 pounds, he brings a combination of lateral mobility, coverage ability and relentless motor that is crucial for a defense-hungry USC team.

During his junior season, Perlotte recorded 55 tackles, eight for loss, two sacks, five pass deflections and an interception. He is the No. 15 linebacker in the 2025 class, the No. 119 overall player in the nation and the No. 13 prospect in Georgia, according to 247Sports. On3 ranks him as the No. 32 linebacker in the class and the No. 48 prospect in the state.

With Jadon Perlotte's commitment, USC's 2025 recruiting class now boasts 15 players and ranks No. 19 nationally and No. 6 in the Big Ten. He is the third-highest-rated recruit in this class, following a productive July where the program landed three key recruits.

Perlotte joins Elyiss Williams, Darren Ikinnagbon, Ethan Barbour, Ryan Montgomery, Mason Short, Stephon Shivers, Bo Walker, Thomas Blackshear, Zayden Walker, Talyn Taylor and Dontrell Glover, among others, in the 2025 class.