Fresno State lands commitment from USC transfer Korey Foreman, former No. 1 recruit in nation

Fresno State has landed a commitment from USC transfer Korey Foreman, a former 5-star recruit in the Class of 2021 and one of the top defensive players in NCAA transfer portal.

Foreman has signed an athletic financial aid agreement, which binds a school to providing financial aid to a student-athlete. It is different from a national letter of intent, which binds a school and a student-athlete to that agreement.

Spring semester classes at Fresno State begin Jan. 18.

Foreman represents a significant addition to coach Jeff Tedford’s 2024 recruiting class. He was ranked by one recruiting service as the top high school player in the nation when coming out of Centennial High in Corona. He played in 11 games as a true freshman at USC.

The 6-foot-4, 235-pound edge rusher was limited by injuries last season, playing a total of 25 snaps over three games. He did have four pressures in 14 pass rushing snaps and had a 78.6 pass rushing grade, according to Pro Football Focus, and can use 2023 as a redshirt season and have two years of eligibility remaining.

In 26 career games at USC, he was credited with 25 total tackles with 4.5 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks and had one interception. That interception came when dropping into coverage and it sealed the Trojans’ 48-45 victory over crosstown rival UCLA in 2022 at the Rose Bowl.

Foreman will join a defense that ranked third in the Mountain West Conference in sacks last season with 30.0, and provide a jolt off the edge along with a solid group of returning defensive ends led by Devo Bridges.

Bridges was tied for second on the team with 3.5 sacks, behind only defensive tackle Jacob Holmes with 5.0, and led the team by a large margin with 39 total pressures (sacks, hits and quarterback hurries). Holmes and defensive end Isaiah Johnson were tied for second with 18.