USC is already making an early push in the 2029 recruiting cycle, and one of the names on the Trojans’ board is a familiar one across town.
Sophomore cornerback Kiingbaraka Kizzee, a Mission Viejo High School product, is committed to UCLA, but USC is still in the mix as it tries to chip away at the Bruins’ hold. Kizzee has 11 offers overall, and Southern Cal was the third program to offer him in Sept. 2025, according to 247Sports. UCLA followed with an offer in January, then landed his hard commitment in June.
Kizzee’s freshman season gave plenty of reason for the attention. He began his high school career at Orange Lutheran and started 11 games as a freshman, finishing with 15 total tackles, 13 of them solo, along with an interception and three pass breakups, per MaxPreps. That performance earned him a place on MaxPreps’ Freshman All-American Team.
The tape matches the production. Kizzee has shown he can stay glued to receivers in man coverage and close fast enough to break up throws.
In zone, he gets downhill quickly and doesn’t give up much after the catch. At 6-3 and 185 pounds, he has the size to handle bigger receivers or speed threats and the tackling ability to finish plays on his own.
He still doesn’t have a star rating or national ranking, but the upside is obvious, and another strong season would only raise his profile. For now, he’s still one of California’s quieter breakout names, which helps explain why USC keeps pressing even with UCLA already in the picture.
Kizzee transferred to Mission Viejo for his sophomore year, where he’ll line up alongside USC recruit Jordan Hicks. Hicks, a four-star corner, recently included the Trojans in his final eight.
Rivals’ Adam Gorney reported that USC and Oregon are still pursuing Kizzee even though the sophomore has not shown interest in other schools. Gorney also pointed to Kizzee’s relationship with UCLA head coach Bob Chesney as the Bruins’ biggest advantage in the recruiting battle.
USC currently has 28 offers out in the 2029 cycle, including four cornerbacks, per 247Sports. The Trojans are also loading up on defensive backs in the 2028 class, where they have 108 offers and 10 cornerback targets. Hicks sits near the top of that board, with Ca’ron “Prime” Williams also drawing major attention.
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