USC landed a commitment from four-star offensive lineman Jason Zandamela on Tuesday. The No. 2 interior offensive lineman in the 2024 class according to 247Sports, Zandamela chose the Trojans over Miami, Florida State, Oklahoma and Georgia. He is fresh off an official visit to Los Angeles.
"It's just the No. 1 business school in the nation, arguably one of the best head coaches in the game right now, great people, it's just a place I want to be," Zandamela told 247Sports' Steve Wiltfong.
Zandamela visited Oklahoma from June 9-11 and was set to take an official to Florida State the weekend of June 23, though it is not clear if that trip will still take place. Zandamela, a Clearwater, Florida product, ranks as the No. 62 prospect nationally and No. 8 player in the state of Florida.
Zandamela was born in Mozambique and moved to the United States in 2020. Though he played rugby growing up, the 6-foot-3 and 285 pound mauler did not start playing American football until his sophomore year at Clearwater Academy International School. 247Sports recruiting analyst Andrew Ivins gushed about Zandamela's athleticism in his scouting report:
Shifts his weight well for someone listed at 285 pounds and doesn't have much issues getting east or west. Also doesn't struggle to get to the second level and put his nose on a linebacker, which suggests that he could thrive in a pin and pull-heavy offensive scheme. Will need to keep progressing and continue to soak up any and all coaching, but fluid movement patterns, explosive hips and prototypical frame (has a 81.5-inch wingspan on file) make him one of the more intriguing interior offensive line prospects in the 2024 recruiting cycle. Should be viewed as a potential multi-year starter in the middle at the Power Five level, but someone that will likely need a few years of seasoning before they are ready to go on Saturdays. NFL upside.
USC surges to top-10 class ranking
The Trojans have been on an tear in the month of June, and Zandamela is the latest in a long string of impressive recruiting wins. With his pledge, USC's 2024 class now holds the No. 10 spot in 247Sports' Team Composite rankings, just .04 points behind Stanford.
In total, eight prospects have pledged to USC in June. Lincoln Riley and his staff are doing a great job of extending USC's recruiting umbrella, as well. Zandamela is the second Florida product to join the class, following three-star safety Jarvis Boatwright. The Trojans hold commitments from two Georgia-based players in four-star tight end Walter Matthews and four-star edge rusher Kameryn Fountain.
