Santa Margarita running back Jaion “Duce” Smith didn’t leave USC empty-handed on June 11. The 2028 three-star prospect walked away from the Trojans’ workout with an offer from his hometown program, a moment he described as one he had been chasing for a long time.
“It was a dream come true," Smith said. "Been looking forward to that since I stepped into high school and it was just amazing when I got it.”
That visit gave Smith another chance to spend time around USC running backs coach Jones, and the relationship has grown stronger over the summer. Smith said Jones has stood out to him for the way he coaches and the way he carries himself.
“Coach Jones, it’s been amazing getting to know him,” Smith said. “He's very detailed with his guys, knows what he's talking about, and he just cares for guys.
And that's pretty much everything I'm looking for in recruitment. Just a coach that looks out for me and I'm comfortable with.”
Smith is coming off a strong sophomore year that earned him first team All-Trinity League honors and helped Santa Margarita win an Open Division state championship. His football world is packed with USC ties, too: three freshmen at USC in receiver Trent Mosley, defensive end Simote Katoanga and cornerback Jayden Crowder, along with 2027 defensive lineman commit Isaia Vandermade, are part of that same pipeline.
His support system also reaches into the NFL. Smith’s cousin, former Trojans All-Conference cornerback Jaylin Smith, is entering his second season with the Houston Texans, and he has been a sounding board as the recruitment picks up.
“I know he's busy in the NFL, so I'll talk to him every once in a while when I get to," Smith said. "He is giving me pointers about recruitment and what to know and you know what to do.”
Because Jaylin Smith played all four seasons at Southern Cal, the two have had plenty to talk about when it comes to USC.
“He tells me it's a great culture. It's close to home, I'm gonna be comfortable there,” Smith said.
“It's a lot of family there. With some of my guys from Santa Margarita being there right now, and we got commits on this team, and coaches from USC, it’s just the perfect route to be honest.”
Smith’s summer also included trips to Notre Dame and UCLA. At Notre Dame, he got a chance to compete and spend time with the running backs coach, who has coached two first-rounders.
“At Notre Dame, I got to compete a little bit, workout, got to chop it up with the running back coach. He got two guys in the first round, so that was amazing. Looking forward to getting an offer down the way," Smith said.
He plans to get to the Coliseum for a game this fall, and UCLA, Kansas and Minnesota are also on his list of schools that could receive game-day visits. For now, Smith says the race is still wide open, though a few programs have started to separate themselves in terms of attention.
“I would say it's pretty much open," Smith said. "I don't want to say anybody's ahead of anybody because it's still early. I would say USC and Kansas have been pushing a lot, and then I would say also Minnesota and Cal.”
On the field, Smith is set to keep doing a little bit of everything for the Trinity League power. He has lined up at linebacker during both passing tournaments in Orange County this month, while also continuing to work at running back.
“I've been playing linebacker a lot in the spring and summer, but I'm also playing running back," Smith said. "I feel like I'm an athlete. I'm versatile so I can do both.”
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