After what had been a very slow summer, USF football recruiting has burst to life in the last five days. On top of the commitments of Randall St. Felix on Saturday night and Nick Roberts on Sunday, there are four more players who have committed to USF's 2017 recruiting class.
Sunday - OL Jeremiah Stafford
Very blessed to say i have committed to the university of south Florida #GoBulls pic.twitter.com/LUtZ2IatVM
— Jeremiah Stafford (@finesse_kid70) July 24, 2025
From the 352 to our city. Go Bulls! pic.twitter.com/XeschzAiMG
— Willie Taggart (@CoachTaggart) July 24, 2025
Stafford plays at North Marion High School in Citra, the same high school as former USF tight end Sean Price. The 6'4", 295 pound lineman has a three-star rating on 247 and a two-star rating on Rivals and Scout. (ESPN has not ranked him yet.)
Highlights from Jeremiah's junior year at North Marion:
Monday - OL Jean Marcellus
I want to thank GOD for this opportunity and bless day I would like to say I'm verbally committed to the USF BULLS pic.twitter.com/TYU1KrEU7d
— Jean Marccellus #72 (@bigjean72) July 25, 2025
813 "Bay Made, Bay Stayed"Go Bulls! pic.twitter.com/cC2yxktHl1
— Willie Taggart (@CoachTaggart) July 25, 2025
Marcellus plays at Jefferson High School in Tampa, where current linebacker Juwuan Brown and former USF star Andre Davis played. Jean currently stands 6'3", 295 lbs., and is a consensus three-star prospect. He's fielded over a dozen offers, including ones from Cincinnati, Miami, Louisville, and Mississippi State, and he's had interest from many other schools.
Here's Big Jean's junior highlight reel. His sophomore reel (all 17 minutes!) is also on Hudl.
Tuesday - LB Michael Scott
Committed to the BULLS! pic.twitter.com/0UBEGe0WeW
— Michael Scott (@Mike_29_beast) July 26, 2025
This is a very nice get for USF! Saw him last week. https://t.co/wywqIhoWJX
— SB Nation Recruiting (@SBNRecruiting) July 26, 2025
Michael plays at Tallahassee's North Florida Christian School. He is 6'3" and 220 pounds, and he has a pile of offers, including California, Louisville, Maryland, Northwestern, Temple, and others. Only two of the four major recruiting sites have rated Scott so far - 247 gave him three stars, while Rivals gave him two.
Michael's reel from his junior year is below. Click here for his sophomore reel.
Tuesday - Duran Bell, Jr.
Right in the middle of me writing this post, USF picked up yet another commit in running back/athlete Duran Bell, Jr.
I am committing to the University of South Florida!!!! Go Bulls @CoachTaggart @CoachWoodie @USFFootball pic.twitter.com/Ai705J2YqD
— Duran Bell Jr (@DreamChaserV22) July 27, 2025
813 Another BayMade, BayStayed. Go Bulls! pic.twitter.com/lCKeqbRQtU
— Willie Taggart (@CoachTaggart) July 27, 2025
Bell is another #BayMade prospect from Tampa's Hillsborough High School. Currently 5'11" and 175 lbs., Duran has a two-star rating from 247, Rivals, and Scout, but his 247 composite score nudges him just into the three-star range. Rutgers and UCF are Duran's other biggest offers.
Duran's junior highlight reel:
Wednesday - ???
Scout's 2017 commitment list indicates that Dr. Phillips WR Emare Hogan has also committed, but no one else has reported this yet.
Also, Wednesday is announcement day for Bruce Judson, a highly touted and heavily recruited four-star prospect USF has been going after hard. If Taggart and his staff can bring Judson aboard, it would be easily the biggest addition to what has already been a very productive week of recruiting.
