USC has earned a transfer commitment from one of the most prized defenders in the transfer portal.

Former Texas A&M defensive lineman Anthony Lucas has pledged to the Trojans. The program announced his signing on Wednesday. Lucas was a 5-star recruit in the 2022 class out of Scottsdale (Ariz.) Chaparral. He was ranked as the nation’s No. 32 player, the No. 8 defensive lineman, and the No. 1 player in Arizona by the folks at 247Sports.

For Riley and the Trojans, the primary goal this offseason is defensive improvement. The 6-foot-6, 270-pound Lucas should help toward that goal.

Lucas played in seven games for the Aggies during the 2022 season, recording 10 tackles and one tackle for loss. He entered the transfer portal last Tuesday.

He was primarily a defensive tackle, but given his length he could kick outside to end. The Trojans have to replace the Pac-12’s Defensive Player of the Year in Tuli Tuipulotu (off to the NFL), and Lucas could be used in a way similar to how coordinator Alex Grinch moved around Tuipulotu.

USC needs defensive line help in a major way, and it has now secured three known commits from the transfer portal. Lucas joins former Purdue defender Jack Sullivan and former Arizona Wildcat Kyon Barrs as defensive linemen to pledge to the program.