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Published Mar 5, 2018
USC, UGA, more on mind of prospects at Rivals 3 Stripe L.A.
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Adam Gorney  •  Rivals.com
National Recruiting Director
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@adamgorney

CLASS OF 2019 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | State | Position | Team

GLENDORA, Calif. - With the Rivals Camp Series presented by adidas now in full swing, we take a look back at Sunday’s Rivals 3 Stripe Camp in the Los Angeles area to identify five college programs whose fan bases should be feeling good after the event. Whether it was an impressive performance by a commit on the field, or buzzworthy comments by top targets during the media session, here are the five hot teams.

MORE RCS: Gorney's takeaways | Players who earned their stripes | Updates | Full schedule

1. USC

The Trojans cleaned up leading to the 2018 National Signing Day and finished by signing five of the top seven players in California, ending with the third-best class nationally. If the opinions of where California’s top players are headed are any indication, USC could be loading up again.

A few top recruits said they believe five-star defensive end Kayvon Thibodeaux and especially five-star athlete Bru McCoy will end up signing with the Trojans. Five-star defensive back Chris Steele, who dominated all day, could also end up at USC although he could be in the early stages of figuring out his recruitment. Four-star speedster Sean Dollars has USC in his top three and he’s close with current USC running back Stephen Carr. Many other recruits, unsurprisingly, mentioned the Trojans as a top contender. Another big fish is 2020 linebacker Justin Flowe. If he ends up at USC, watch out, because the Upland, Calif., prospect is special.

2. GEORGIA

Lots of top California prospects have taken a shine to Georgia and could visit soon. The Bulldogs are coming off a run to the national championship game and it has not gone unnoticed in the West.

Four-star linebacker De’Gabriel Floyd, who is also high on Texas, said he’s seriously considering a trip to Georgia sometime soon as the former USC commit looks for the right spot. The Bulldogs are in his top seven. Santa Ana (Calif.) Mater Dei teammates Jeremiah Criddell and Dollars are also looking at Georgia. Dollars has a top three of Oregon, USC and Washington but the Bulldogs recently offered. Criddell said he wants to visit Athens soon. Also, top 2020 defensive back Elias Ricks, also from Mater Dei, is seriously considering a trip to Georgia this summer.

3. OREGON

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Steele showed up wearing an Oregon headband. That could have meant nothing at all or it could have been an indication that the Ducks definitely have a legitimate shot at landing the five-star cornerback. Dollars is another one who likes Oregon’s offense a whole lot and it’s a program that will be in the thick of things until the end. Four-star defensive tackle Keyon Ware-Hudson also talked highly of Oregon and his relationship with assistant coach Joe Salave’a. That could go a long way in his decision-making process. Standout athlete Lavon Bunkley-Shelton is also high on the Ducks but the 2020 prospect is in no rush.

4. OKLAHOMA

The Sooners have always tapped into California talent and it sounds like that will continue with the 2019 and classes and beyond. Chris Steele is high on Oklahoma and is planning an official visit. Jeremiah Criddell seems more and more intrigued by the Sooners. Top 2020 cornerback Darion Green-Warren is originally from Edmond, Okla., and will give Oklahoma a closer look. Four-star CB Max Williams likes the program. Santa Ana (Calif.) Mater Dei 2020 DB Bryson Washington, who’s originally from Texas, hopes to hear more from the Sooners soon. Bryce Young, the top 2020 quarterback, has already been to Norman and seems to like coach Lincoln Riley a whole lot. As always, there’s a lot of buzz about Oklahoma in the state of California and Sunday was no exception.

5. OHIO STATE

The reach of coach Urban Meyer remains impressive and a few top prospects mentioned the Buckeyes throughout Sunday’s camp. Top 2020 quarterback Jack Miller from Scottsdale (Ariz.) Chaparral is high on the Buckeyes and the Big Ten powerhouse could be tough to beat. Impressive-looking tight end Jude Wolfe from Bellflower (Calif.) St. John Bosco recently was offered by Ohio State and he could take a closer look soon. Four-star quarterback Jayden Daniels recently landed an offer from the Buckeyes so they could emerge as a contender, although he’s taking his time.

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