JT Daniels sent shock waves through the recruiting world in 2018 when he reclassified and enrolled at USC after his junior year of high school. We've learned one of Daniels' former teammates is attempting to do something very similar. And the road could again lead to USC.
Sources tell us 2020 five-star cornerback Elias Ricks is exploring a transfer from Santa Ana Mater Dei High as part of an effort to accumulate enough credits to graduate early and reclassify into the 2019 class. Ricks is said to be looking at enrolling at another high school because Mater Dei was not going to credit him for the courses he is taking outside the school. Two high schools that have been mentioned as possible landing spots are Calabasas and Westlake Village Oaks Christian.
While Daniels had enough credits to sign with USC last February and enroll by the beginning of June, Ricks is not as far along in the process. A firm deadline for him to reclassify would be September, although he would likely want to have the matter decided by August in order to partake in training camp at his future college. It should be noted, we don't know exactly how achievable this is for Ricks, just that it's being pursued.
Ricks, of course, is committed to LSU, a pledge he announced last Christmas. The Tigers would be the favorite to land his services but do not stand alone. USC has been actively recruiting him in recent months and the recruiting staff is fully aware of Ricks' desire to play college football this year. The Trojans have three slots left in their 2019 class.
I asked a USC source involved in Ricks' recruitment if this was a two-team race and got the following response:
"Meet us at the finish line."
Sources tell us 2020 five-star cornerback Elias Ricks is exploring a transfer from Santa Ana Mater Dei High as part of an effort to accumulate enough credits to graduate early and reclassify into the 2019 class. Ricks is said to be looking at enrolling at another high school because Mater Dei was not going to credit him for the courses he is taking outside the school. Two high schools that have been mentioned as possible landing spots are Calabasas and Westlake Village Oaks Christian.
While Daniels had enough credits to sign with USC last February and enroll by the beginning of June, Ricks is not as far along in the process. A firm deadline for him to reclassify would be September, although he would likely want to have the matter decided by August in order to partake in training camp at his future college. It should be noted, we don't know exactly how achievable this is for Ricks, just that it's being pursued.
Ricks, of course, is committed to LSU, a pledge he announced last Christmas. The Tigers would be the favorite to land his services but do not stand alone. USC has been actively recruiting him in recent months and the recruiting staff is fully aware of Ricks' desire to play college football this year. The Trojans have three slots left in their 2019 class.
I asked a USC source involved in Ricks' recruitment if this was a two-team race and got the following response:
"Meet us at the finish line."
