Early Signing Day 2019: Three-star linebacker Ralen Goforth signs with the USC Trojans

Three-star outside linebacker Ralen Goforth has signed with the USC Trojans over rival Pac-12 schools Oregon and UCLA. Goforth is the second player out of St. John Bosco to sign with USC today after tight end Jude Wolfe also made it official.

The 6-foot-2, 224 pounder is the No. 21 outside linebacker in the nation and the No. 57 player in the state of California. Oregon made a late push for Goforth’s signature on December 14, when he took his official visit, but the Southern California native decided to play for the hometown team in USC.

Per 247Sports.com, Goforth runs a 4.88 second 40-yard dash, 4.58 shuttle, and has a vertical of 32 inches. Fans can watch the future Trojan on January 19, when he plays in the Polynesian Bowl on CBS Sports.

Goforth joins fellow 2019 signees Maninoa Tufono and Stanley Taufoou, and current USC outside linebackers John Houston Jr., Jordan Iosefa, Taylor Katoa (once back from two-year LDS mission), Raymond Scott, and Palaie Gaoteote IV.

With seniors Porter Gustin, Cameron Smith, and Reuben Peters leaving for the NFL Draft, USC welcomes the added linebacker depth. Playing time for Goforth might have to be put on hold as the Trojans have a few veterans that will likely take the seniors’ starting jobs. Not to mention the freshman wonder Gaoteote IV, who had a breakout 2018 season, will likely be receiving boosted playing time in 2019.

Goforth will likely redshirt his freshman year and will look to learn from an extremely talented Trojan linebacker corps. However, he is widely regarded as one of the most underrated recruits in the 2019 class, so it wouldn’t be shocking if he saw game time action next season.