The USC Trojans absorbed a huge blow to their offense. Redshirt senior and starting center Kilian O’Connor will miss the entire 2026 season. College football is all about the next man up mentality, and the Trojans will have to dig deep to replace a consistent veteran on the team. Fortunately for USC, the Trojans have a versatile offensive lineman who just might fit the bill.
In a recent tweet, Ryan Kartje believes he knows who the answer at center will be following the Trojans' loss of their starter for the season. Here is what he had to say:
"With Kilian O’Connor out, it would stand to reason that Tobias Raymond would shift full-time to center after practicing there in spring and into fall.
Raymond is seen as a future center in the NFL, but has
played guard and tackle for USC."
Raymond is seen as the next man up due to his experience and production in multiple spots on the offensive line. Since his freshman season, he has appeared in game action every season. Last season, however, was when his versatility was on full display the most. Last season he appeared in all 13 games as a redshirt sophomore, making 7 starts at left guard, 5 at left tackle, and 1 at right tackle. That reliability and that ability to handle whatever is thrown to him give great confidence that he can also be exactly what the Trojans need at center this year.
Contact/Follow @TrojansWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of USC Trojans news, notes and opinion.
This article originally appeared on Trojans Wire: USC offensive line must cultivate versatility to fill gap at center
