USC’s most glaring need in this post-spring transfer portal cycle was linebacker, where the Trojans lacked both numbers and any experienced depth.

They addressed that need Tuesday as Penn State transfer Ta’Mere Robinson announced his USC commitment after visiting over the weekend.

The 6-foot-3, 223-pound Robinson played in all 14 games as a redshirt freshman, logging 100 defensive snaps and totaling 11 tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss. But he was a four-star Rivals250 prospect in the 2023 recruiting class, and the Trojans believe he has a lot of untapped potential.

Which is really all USC needed in addressing the depth chart at linebacker, where redshirt senior Eric Gentry and sophomore Desman Stephens II are locked in as the starters but converted safety Anthony Beavers is the most experienced player behind them while redshirt freshman Jadyn Walker is generating some positive buzz in spring practice. Incoming freshmen Matai Tagoa’i and AJ Tuitele, along with untested veteran Garrison Madden, round out the unit.

So in Robinson, USC gets another young player with upside to work into the mix behind and develop for the future while having at least another option with a player who has logged some Big Ten snaps.

Before the transfer portal window opened last week, USC coach Lincoln Riley emphasized that the Trojans would be limited in their activity while noting that he felt the team had fewer needs than in past transfer cycles. He did specify linebacker as the paramount need.

Robinson is the second addition this week for the Trojans, following Notre Dae safety transfer Kennedy Urlacher, who announced his commitment over the weekend.

In both players, USC eschewed the costly approach of bringing in short-term established veteran fixes while instead adding needed depth with young, high-upside talent that can impact the program for multiple years.

It remains to be seen if USC will add any more transfer this cycle, but if not, the Trojans have addressed their biggest needs as is.