Early Signing Day 2019: No. 1 JUCO strong defensive end Nick Figueroa signs with the USC Trojans

Three-star JUCO defensive end Nick Figueroa has made the next step in his college football journey after signing with the USC Trojans on Wednesday.

The 6-foot-5, 270 pounds hails from Riverside Community College in Riverside, California and has chosen to wear cardinal and gold as his next college threads. Figueroa was slated to be deciding between his top three of USC, UCLA, and Tennessee. He had also received offers from a multitude of other Division 1 programs.

Figueroa brings added depth and experience to a young Trojan defensive line. He will be joining junior veteran Christian Rector and sophomore Liam Jimmons, along with freshmen Jay Tufele, Jacob Lichtenstein, and Abdul-Malik McClain.

Figueroa is currently the only strong side defensive end commit and signee for the class of 2019 but he is a great one. The future Trojan is the No. 1 JUCO strong side defensive end in the nation and the No. 3 JUCO recruit in the state of California.

Many Trojan fans were worried that Tennessee might sway Figueroa into joining the SEC, when he took his official visit on December 14. However, the JUCO prospect decided to stay local and join the Trojan ranks.

Fans should not be surprised to see Figueroa receive playing time next season, as he brings the experience and stature to be a dominant force for the USC defense.