Santa Ana (Calif.) Mater Dei offensive linemen DeAndre Carter and Brandon Baker are bookend tackles that USC would like utilize as the foundation of their 2024 class.
Carter, 6-foot-4, 340-pounds, plays left tackle for the Monarchs, while Baker, 6-foot-5, 285-pounds, anchors the right tackle position.
From USCFootball.com's Shotgun Spratling:
"Baker is a four-star offensive tackle prospect, who is ranked the nation's No. 2 offensive tackle and the No. 64 overall prospect in the 247Sports rankings. Baker is slightly lower in the composite rankings, coming in at No. 80 overall and the No. 6 offensive tackle. Carter similarly is ranked higher by 247Sports than the rest of the industry. Our national staff have him as the No. 31 overall player and the top interior lineman prospect in the nation while he sits at No. 96 overall and the No. 3 interior lineman in the nation in the 247Sports Composite rankings.
The two helped provide Brown plenty of time on Friday when Mater Dei rolled to a 43-20 win over fellow Southern Section power Corona (Calif.) Centennial. Brown was able to sit in the pocket until he found targets streaking downfield as he did regularly with receiver Marcus Brown. The Brown-to-Brown connection accounted for three touchdown passes as Elijah hit Marcus for scores of 16, 55 and 63 yards. Thanks to the quality offensive line protection Elijah Brown finished 15 for 21 with 290 yards passing to improve to 20-0 as the starting quarterback at Mater Dei."
The Trojans have three commitments in the 2024 class; Calabasas (Calif.) four-star athlete Aaron Butler, Long Beach (Calif.) Poly four-star wide receiver Jason Robinson, and Long Beach (Calif.) Poly four-star linebacker Dylan Williams.
In the class of 2023, USC holds the commitments of Los Alamitos (Calif.) five-star quarterback Malachi Nelson, his four-star teammate Makai Lemon, Las Vegas (Nev.) Bishop Gorman five-star wide receiver Zachariah Branch, Mesa (Ariz.) Red Mountain four-star wide receiver Ja'Kobi Lane, four-star Manor (Texas) running back Quinten Joyner, three-star Wichita Falls (Texas) running back A'Marion Peterson, Santa Clara (Calif.) three-star offensive lineman Amos Talalele, Ventura (Calif.) three-star offensive tackle Tobias Raymond, Sacramento (Calif.) Grant three-star offensive lineman Alani Noa, Burien (Wash.) Kennedy Catholic three-star center Micah Banuelos, Coppell (Texas) four-star safety Braxton Myers, Oxnard (Calif.) Pacifica four-star cornerback Maliki Crawford , Lynden (Wash.) three-star athlete Kade Eldridge, Many (La.) four-star linebacker Tackett Curtis, Bakersfield (Calif.) three-star defensive tackle Grant Buckey and Friendswood (Texas) four-star edge rusher Braylan Shelby.
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