LAS VEGAS -- An early decision appeared to be in the cards for ESPN Junior 300 inside linebacker Cameron Smith following a trip to USC last month, but that is no longer the case.
The Granite Bay (Calif.) standout pegged USC as his top school when he landed a scholarship offer during the program’s Elite Junior Day event in early February, but he backed off that claim over the weekend at the Pylon Elite West Coast Regional.
Smith now intends to wait things out as more options roll in. He is scheduled to visit Arizona and Oregon in the coming months.
“I don’t really have a list; I don’t have a top school,” Smith said. “I’m sitting it out and waiting to see what else comes. I’m trying to have fun with the process and see what other schools get in there. It would make my decision tougher, but that’s what it is.
“I’m going to make a list in the summer after more trips and then I’m going to take the five official visits in the fall.”
USC and UCLA, Smith said, will likely crack his top five regardless of which other schools enter the picture. He has established strong relationships with assistant coaches Peter Sirmon of the Trojans and Jeff Ulbrich of the Bruins, and feels comfortable leaving Northern California for Los Angeles. The nation’s No. 2-rated inside linebacker in the 2015 class doesn’t plan to make an official visit to either of the two, given that they are within driving distance.
Despite no longer being the heavy favorite for Smith’s signature, the Trojans certainly have captured his attention.
“USC has a lot of good recruits coming in with Damien Mama, Adoree’ Jackson and Juju Smith, so I think I know how they’re going to play this season; they are going to live up to the hype,” Smith said. “I won’t base my decision off just results, but it probably will come into play. I definitely want to see how they do.
“With the scholarship sanctions up and USC not having that many linebackers there at all right now, that’s a great spot. There’s no better education than USC. Still, it’s not a given that I’m going there. I have not made up my mind. I’m waiting to see what else comes up.”
Highly touted defensive lineman rests
The grind of the high school football season took its toll on ESPN 300 defensive tackle Jacob Daniel, who accompanied a Northern California-based squad to the 7-on-7 tournament this past weekend.
Daniel has had a busy offseason, visiting USC for its Elite Junior Day, where he picked up a scholarship offer, and also traveling from the Fresno area to observe competition at the Nike Football Training Camp in Redondo Beach earlier this month. He has also made a stop at UCLA, and he has plans to check out Oregon in May.
“I’m getting my body right while seeing what schools are like,” Daniel said. “I want to know if they are places I can call home.”
USC, Daniel added, has been his most aggressive suitor.
“They are recruiting me the hardest; I can honestly say that,” said Daniel, ranked No. 61 in the ESPN Junior 300. “I can tell that they really want me. They don’t want me to play only nose guard. They told me they wouldn’t have offered me if that was the case. They want me to play inside and outside. I’m up for the challenge.”
Arizona and Notre Dame have also been mentioned as potential landing spots, but the Trojans have a few factors working in their favor. Daniel, who previously committed to USC coach Steve Sarkisian at Washington, is a Southern California native who has taken a liking to new defensive line coach Chris Wilson.
“He’s a real coach,” Daniel said. “I have gotten to know him a lot better in the last few weeks. He’s not just about football, but also about the off-the-field stuff. I really like that about him.
“I like USC, but I want to take my time. I don’t know which schools I want to officially visit yet, but I know I want to be completely sure when I commit this time around.”
USC recruiting roundup
• USC cornerback commit Taeon Mason said he would continue to listen to other schools this offseason, particularly UCLA, which has continued recruiting him even after his pledge to the Trojans. “Coach Demetrice Martin and I have a good bond," Mason said. "I’ve known him for a while. He’s on me heavy. Even though he hasn’t offered me, he won’t let me go that easily.”
• Three-star linebacker Ben Humphreys made an unofficial visit to the USC campus Saturday and, though he left without an offer, would appear to have the Trojans among his leaders. Both his parents attended Stanford, where his sister currently plays volleyball, but the Trojans are known to recruit Santa Ana (Calif.) Mater Dei well.
• Ellenwood (Ga.) Cedar Grove defensive tackle Quentez Johnson, who has a USC offer, intends to make a decision on Sept. 12. With Wilson arriving from Georgia, the Trojans figure to be in the conversation for many of that region's coveted linemen.