3-star recruit Floyd Boucard commits to Lincoln Riley's USC; flips from Oklahoma

By Aman Sharma

Modified Oct 04, 2024 17:27 GMT

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Floyd Boucard, a three-star defensive lineman from Miami Central High School, has flipped his commitment from Oklahoma to USC, making his decision official on October 3, 2024. This move is pivotal for USC’s recruiting efforts under coach Lincoln Riley.

Boucard, who initially committed to Oklahoma in July 2024, reopened his recruitment in mid-September. Despite his earlier pledge to the Sooners, USC remained a strong presence throughout the process.

After an official visit to USC in June, there was speculation that Boucard was close to choosing the Trojans, though he ultimately delayed the decision. However, USC’s persistence paid off.

Following another visit to Los Angeles last weekend, Boucard decided to solidify his commitment to Lincoln Riley’s program. The youngster explained the reasons behind his decision, saying:

“I see a great opportunity at USC,” Boucard told On3. “I was locked in with Oklahoma, but watching USC this season is really what changed my mind. Seeing how they rotate defensive linemen, how they play underclassmen and seeing an opportunity to play early is what caught my attention."

Standing at 6-foot-3 and 315 pounds, Boucard is ranked as the No. 447 overall prospect and the No. 48 defensive lineman in the 247Sports Composite rankings. His decision came after USC’s exciting victory against Wisconsin, where Boucard was impressed by Riley’s fearless coaching style.

"I was talking to the head coach more than I was talking to the defensive line coach," said Boucard. "I love (Riley's) energy. He is fearless. At the Wisconsin game, it was fourth-and-3 and he went for it and got a touchdown and the 'W'. I liked that."

With Boucard’s commitment, USC now boasts 21 recruits in their 2025 class.

USC's persistence pays off as Floyd Boucard commits to Trojans

USC’s persistence in recruiting Floyd Boucard paid off, with coach Lincoln Riley leading the charge. Riley's strong connection with Boucard proved crucial in securing his commitment.

“USC kept recruiting me. They even upped their game once I committed. We were talking before I committed to Oklahoma, but even more after I committed. It is like they knew what was going to happen in the future. I have been talking with coach Riley almost every day. My relationship with coach Riley is very strong."

Having once committed to Oklahoma, Floyd Boucard is now fully committed to USC.

“This is it. I am shutting everything down. My decision is made and I am going to focus on my teammates and winning a state championship.”

Boucard, originally from Canada, noted he knew little about USC’s rich football history when the recruitment process began.

“I didn’t know a lot about USC when I first started getting recruited. I am from Canada, so I didn’t know about their history, tradition and things like that. Getting on campus, I learned a lot more and I am going to a great school to get an Ivy League-like education and play for a historic program.”

Floyd Boucard recorded 85 tackles, 27 tackles for loss and 11 sacks during the 2023-24 season.