Unpack the Pac Offseason Edition: Breaking down the top five Pac-12 recruits

“Unpack the Pac Offseason Edition” is a column by Jacob Hare that discusses offseason football news in the Pac-12 conference.

The Pac-12 did a tremendous job in terms of recruiting this year. According to ESPN’s top 300 recruits, the conference signed the top two overall players and five players in the top 14. That’s a massive turnaround for a conference that only managed to sign two top 30 players a year ago. These young men all have the potential to do remarkable things for their respective universities. Just as I broke down the coaching hires in my last column, I will be breaking down these freshmen and what they will bring to the conference.

Malachi Nelson, QB: USC

ESPN’s No. 1 recruit comes to USC with the perfect situation. The California native will be able to sit behind and learn from 2022 Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams in his first year. Nelson boasts an exceptional skill set. He has a rapid release and can extend plays on the ground. Nelson fits the mold of the new generation of athletic and quick quarterbacks. While Nelson comes to USC with abundant talent, he will have his work cut out for him. Nelson comes in as standing at 6 feet 3 inches tall, but is very thin and only weighs 180 pounds. Nelson will need to bulk up to survive the powerful hits in Division I football. His arm strength is already good, but if he can add weight, his arm will significantly improve. USC Head Coach Lincoln Riley has an extraordinary track record with quarterbacks, so I am confident that Riley will bring the most out of Nelson. USC is in a prime position for the foreseeable future as Williams will likely enter the draft after next season.

Dante Moore, QB: UCLA

ESPN’s No. 2 recruit shocked the entire college football nation by switching his commitment from Oregon to UCLA. This change was likely a result of Oregon quarterback Bo Nix opting to return to school after flirting with the NFL draft. UCLA should be a better fit for Moore as he can work with offensive-minded UCLA Head Coach Chip Kelly, rather than defensive-centered Oregon Head Coach Dan Lanning. During his NFL and college career, Kelly has had a successful track record developing quarterbacks, and with Moore’s talent, I like this fit. To run Kelly’s offense to its fullest, you must be brilliant. It’s very complex, so Kelly getting the most pro-ready quarterback in this recruiting cycle feels like a match made in heaven. Moore will likely have an excellent opportunity to start as a true freshman. The No. 2 recruit is a mature and polished player, so starting as a freshman wouldn’t be as outlandish as it sounds. In high school, he displayed a calmness and charisma that most college players don’t even have. Moore has every trait that pro bowl quarterbacks possess: accuracy, anticipation, fast release, athleticism and intelligence. I am excited to see what he does in Westwood over his career.

Zachariah Branch, WR: USC

Zachariah Branch, the consensus No. 1 wide receiver recruit, will join his brother, safety Zion Branch, at USC. The Nevada native has drawn multiple comparisons to NFL pro bowl wide receiver Tyreek Hill. While the apparent reason is his blazing speed, it’s more than that. His route running and catch radius are out of this world. Branch will likely be eased into his college career like most freshman wideouts, but I could see him having a critical role as the season progresses for USC. Branch is too good of a talent not to be on the field. Branch has Biletnikoff potential and Lincoln Riley will have a lot of fun calling plays for him.

Makai Lemon, WR: USC

Makai Lemon will have a familiar face at USC in his high school teammate, Malachi Nelson. Lemon is a playmaker, and it will be dangerous when he and Branch line up on opposite sides of the field for the Trojans. Lemon brings a unique skill set, and it will be interesting to see how USC uses his abilities. Lemon also played cornerback in high school and excelled at the position, which begs the question: Could USC use him on both sides of the ball? Head Coach Deion Sanders did it last season at Jackson State with the 2022 overall No. 1 recruit Travis Hunter, so it’s not out of the question. Regardless of where he plays, Lemon will be an exciting addition to the Trojan roster.

Cormani McClain, CB: Colorado

Who better to learn to play cornerback from than the best cornerback of all time? Deion Sanders flipped McClain from Miami to Colorado, sending significant shockwaves throughout college football. McClain has all the tools to be an elite cornerback: speed, athleticism and size. He fits the new mold of elite cornerbacks in the modern NFL. McClain will also line up on the other side of stud cornerback Travis Hunter, which should take immense pressure off the true freshman. McClain could go down as the best defensive player in this recruiting class if he plays to his full potential.

“Unpack the Pac Offseason Edition” runs every Wednesday.