Clarkston (Mich.) senior Desman Stephens announced his commitment to USC on Thursday.
Stephens (6-2, 215 pounds) is a multi-faceted high school player who has played cornerback, safety, wide receiver and returned punts but will project as a WILL linebacker for the Trojans.
He visited officially last weekend and quickly made a decision following that. A one-time Boston College commit, Stephens had offers from Duke, Michigan State, Boston College, Purdue and others as well.
“Really when I broke it down, it boiled down to the right fit,” Stephens explained. “That consisted of many things, but three main ones. The people: the people there are great at what they do from the coaching staff to the support staff and have the and have the mindset I want to surround myself with moving forward. The school: as far as school they have the best business school in the country and a countless amount of business opportunity and internships so it speaks for itself. The vibe: I got the right vibe from the players and they have the same goals I want to achieve at the next level. They are people I want to surround myself with and want to go into war with. All around, it was just a great fit.”
The official visit, which was Stephens’ first time on campus, helped him get familiar those aspects about the school.
I knew that facilities and optics were going to be top tier but then on this visit, I found way more about the people within the visit and how they are and operate,” he said.
Stephens becomes the 18th commitment in a Trojan class that is ranked in the national Top 20 per 247Sports.
He is the first commit in the class from Michigan and from the Midwest. He also fills a need as the first true linebacker in the class.
247Sports ranks him as a Top 30 linebacker nationally and the No. 9 senior in the state of Michigan.
Stephens had a standout senior season where he rushed for 596 yards and nine touchdowns on 60 carries, caught 25 passes for 355 yards and three touchdowns. He had 79 tackles (seven for loss), two interceptions and five pass breakups on defense. He also returned a punt for a touchdown, helping his team reach the quarter-finals.
