Inside the Trojans' Huddle: DT signee Malik Brooks delays USC enrollment, ESPN SP+ USC projections, preseason lists

Let's officially jump into the show, and it's been referenced several times.

So we're going to start with that, and that's USC is not having one of their 2026 signees enroll this year.

Defensive tackle Malik Brooks, a three-star prospect in the 2026 class out of St. Pius Matthias in Downey by way of Atlanta, Georgia.

massive defensive tackle, 6'3", 350 pounds.

He is a big boy.

He posted on social media yesterday that he will not be enrolling at USC.

He's taking a detour to the JUCO ranks to finish some stuff up there, and he is still committed to USC, but he will not be enrolling this year.

One of the three summer enrollees that USC was projected to have with Boobie Feaster and Roderick Tizeno, who are both receivers.

Malik would have been the last defensive addition to the class.

I'm going to throw it to Scott first.

Obviously, you've seen him play.

We've seen him play.

Big dude.

I'm not saying it's like a huge loss because he was expected to be a project, but what's kind of your reaction to this delay for one of USC's 26 signees?

Yeah, you know, I think just my first reaction was I was surprised that in 2026 we've got guys that are still, you know, USC commits anyway, are failing to get accepted and enrolled online.

you know, by the summertime and having to go the, you know, the JC route.

Great kid, just, you know, we'll start with that.

It's a great, you know, his story, you know, he lost his father not long ago.

He plays for a coach that we all know, and Devy Thomas, and we all love him.

And, you know, it's just surprising that he didn't, yes, he wasn't going to play play this year and and he he was coming in as a project um I always looked at him as a guy that's at least a couple years away so my guess is he'll die I haven't had any conversations maybe you guys can can follow up on this but um he's probably going to go to junior college and just finish up the academic part not play football this this fall that's my guess um you know and I guess Mark was telling me yesterday I lose track of this stuff when they're going to be making decisions on on the timeline that you have when your college calendar starts and then your eligibility clock gets rolling and stuff like that so um but yeah it's uh Sounds like he's planning on enrolling after the football season and just being kind of a January enrollee back for the class of 2026 and start playing in 2027.

But, yeah, I was just surprised a little bit, and I guess I'm never shocked by anything.

But you guys have actually talked to him, so I'm curious to hear what he had to say.

Yeah, I caught up with him a little bit yesterday, just kind of confirming his plans.

He is still committed, as I said.

He was calling this just a detour.