USC loses both starting tight ends as Walker Lyons chooses BYU

Former USC starting tight end Walker Lyons has committed to BYU.

Lyons posted a photo of himself as a toddler in a BYU jersey on his Instagram with the caption “locked in” on Friday morning, officially announcing the move.

He will join his younger brother, Ryder, who committed to the Cougars in December as a quarterback.

USC often deployed two tight ends in 12-personnel formations this season, making Lyons and Lake McRee valuable assets on offense. Lyons ended the season with 20 receptions for 223 yards and two touchdowns.

The Trojans will now have to replace both after McRee, who finished with 30 catches for 450 yards and four touchdowns, declared for the NFL draft last month.

A handful of highly ranked tight ends remain available if USC chooses to rebuild using the transfer portal.

Penn State four-star sophomore Luke Reynolds is available, as well as Nittany Lions teammate and three-star freshman Andrew Olesh. Reynolds, who caught 26 passes for 257 yards last season, is the No. 2-ranked tight end, according to recruiting website On3, and Olesh is the No. 8-ranked.

There are four tight ends remaining on USC’s roster: Carson Tabaracci, Walter Matthews, Fisher Melton and Taniela Tupou. Tabaracci and Tupou played in the Alamo Bowl game. The former had two receptions for 23 yards, while the latter had two catches for 26 yards. Tabaracci had the second-most yards after catch in the game with 20.

USC also could choose to develop incoming freshman Mark Bowman, a 6-foot-5, 225-pound four-star commit out of Mater Dei High.

The Monarchs reached the CIF Southern Section Division 1 semifinals this season and lost by one point to Corona Centennial. Bowman, who re-classed and is forgoing his senior year, made 31 catches for 427 yards and eight touchdowns this year.

Other Trojans find new homes

Defensive lineman Devan Thompkins, who was one of the first USC players to enter the portal, committed to Alabama and will use his final year of eligibility in Tuscaloosa. He was ranked third out of all defensive linemen in the portal in the On3 rankings.

Cornerback Braylon Conley will join Thompkins in the SEC after committing to Georgia.

Wide receiver DJ Jordan committed to Arizona and Prince Strachan, another receiver, is headed to West Virginia.

Four Trojans will remain in the Big Ten. Offensive linemen Micah Banuelos and Makai Saina chose Purdue. Running back Harry Dalton has elected to transfer to Maryland. Bryan Jackson, who was third on USC’s depth chart at running back, transferred to Wisconsin.

Cornerback Kevin Longstreet chose the University of New Mexico, and his younger brother Husan jumped into the transfer portal on Thursday night. Husan Longstreet, a four-star out of Corona Centennial, was the backup quarterback as a freshman this season behind starter Jayden Maiava.