The University of Southern California’s football players are preparing to take the field as the Trojans join the Big Ten Conference next fall, but before we can start placing bets on how far we’re going to go we have to take a look at the newest recruits for USC football.
One of these recruits is none other than Marquis Gallegos, a four-star safety from Chatsworth, California. He is the second safety this recruiting cycle alongside Jarvis Boatwright from Clearwater, Florida.
In June 2023, before his senior season had even started, Marquis already saw where he’d be for the next four years. He committed to USC, turning down 26 other offers including Notre Dame, Michigan, Oregon, Texas A&M and Oklahoma; choosing to stay and play for his hometown favorite. His commitment to USC came after numerous visits to campus and a connection with the coaching staff. Gallegos was recruited under former USC defensive coordinators Alex Grinch and Donté Williams per 247sports.com
Gallegos is no stranger to performing at the highest levels having played in the biggest competitions in the state. He’s ranked as the No. 22 safety in the country and the No. 20 player in California according to ESPN. The 6-foot-1 and 180-pound defensive back spent three years playing for Chaminade High School before spending his senior year at Sierra Canyon High School. During his junior season at Chaminade, he was named to almost every honors football team in California including the 2022 CalHi Sports All-State First Team, the 2022 MaxPreps California All-State, and the 2022 Prep RedZone All-Southern California Jr. Team.
A quick breakdown of his junior and sophomore Hudl films and highlights will leave you with one thought - ‘wow, this kid has something special. His great athleticism and ball skills combined with his seemingly unbreakable confidence and his vision of the defensive line shines through every minute of his time on the field will back that up.
One thing about Marquis - he’s going to look for every possible opportunity to bait the opposing QB and offense. Plus he is a pretty solid tackler, something USC hasn’t been the strongest at in recent months. There’s always room for improvement, but given his high school accolades and clear work ethic, coupled with changes to SC’s defensive coaching staff, the college freshman will have the motivation and support he needs to grow.
Besides being under the spotlight for his undeniable skill on the pitch, Gallegos has eyes on him for something else; his pride for his culture. Marquis Gallegos and his family have never shied away from showing their Mexican pride. Marquis took the opportunity to rep la Bandera on all of his college visits, posing for a picture with the Mexican flag on the fields.
Great visit with @oregonfootball and @Coach_CHampton. #GoDucks pic.twitter.com/cIAaVTW851
— Marquis Gallegos (@marquisg02) March 21, 2023
Not only is this a baller move, but it also allows him to be a part of an even cooler thing - Latinos in football. Gallegos’ older brother Issac who plays for New Mexico State also repped his Mexican and Salvadorian roots during his recruiting process. Only 3.1% of FBS football players and 3.6% of FCS players identified as Hispanic or Latino in 2022, according to the NCAA demographic database,
In a time where most people only associate Latinos with fútbol instead of the NFL, it’s empowering to see young players break the stereotypes and be the representation of new generations of athletes across sports. Nuestra gente tiene tanto talento y potencial that’s gone under appreciated so it’s nice to know that progress is being made at USC with Marquis and opening up the gates for more Latino athletes to break through and get their flowers.
Playing at USC also means that Gallegos will have the support of L.A. Mexicans who make up about 75% of Hispanics in Los Angeles and the nearly 5 million Hispanics in the county, something that he considered when deciding where he’d go. “Just kind of having such a big Latino community in L.A., me and my family take that into consideration for support in me as well,” Marquis Gallegos said in a recent interview. “If I’m there I have a big opportunity for NIL and a bigger support with so many Latinos,” added Gallegos.
When he suits up next season, Marquis will add his name to the growing list of USC athletes with Mexican or Latinx heritage. This list includes trailblazers and stars such as football legend Anthony Múnoz (Class of ‘80), soccer star Amy Rodriguez (Class of ‘08), Chris Steele (Class of ‘22), and current freshman soccer breakout talents Marbiel Flores and Alyssa Gonzalez.
Will he be able to contribute to the improvement of the sub-par and struggling defense that has followed the Trojans over the past two seasons? I think so. Although it’s too early to predict the future of SC this season, I’d say Gallegos’ signing alongside the other new defensive recruits and coaching staff including new defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn may give USC a fighting shot at bringing the Trojan legacy to the Midwest. And no matter how many minutes he gets, you can be sure La Raza is going to show up and out to support him.