Kennedy Catholic offensive lineman Banuelos commits to USC Trojans
Micah Banuelos kept it close to the vest, mulling his college commitment decision well into the 11th hour. The Kennedy Catholic High School (Burien, Wash.) offensive lineman was down to USC and Oregon.
Flanked by his parents, Oriana and Rodrigo, Banuelos reached for the USC shirt to the applause of friends and family at the Samoan Christian Fellowship church in Des Moines on a sunny Monday afternoon. His commitment to the Trojans was a difficult decision, he said, but ultimately playing in Southern California was too enticing an opportunity to turn down.
“It was hard because Oregon was bringing the same type of energy,” Banuelos said. “USC, the (upcoming move to the) Big Ten was just a cherry on top to seal it off. You have Lincoln Riley and a lot of different coaching staff that are going to keep pushing me to be the best player I am.”
The decision was made even more difficult by the fact that Banuelos grew up an Oregon Ducks fan as a kid.
“I was actually leaning toward Oregon, but I just started breaking things down with my mom and dad and we just tried to play out the little things,” Banuelos said. “USC came out with that product and the Big Ten was just a cherry on top.”
Banuelos, a 6-foot-2.5 lineman, is considered a four-star prospect by 247sports.com and a three-star recruit in the site’s composite rankings. Most recruiting analysts expect him to slide into the guard spot in college, but Banuelos has position versatility.
Known for his nastiness on the field, Banuelos was in his element at his longtime church on Monday, cracking smiles and taking photos with friends and family.
“I have a lot of coaches tell me that I have a little switch I can turn on and off. I could just control it. When I’m on the field, I let all my energy out and the love for the sport is just different. Then when I’m off, I’m a loving person. I love all my boys.”
Family members passed out bags of food to those who came to celebrate his commitment. Banuelos said his faith is important to him.
“I didn’t do it alone,” he said. “Without God, I’m nothing. My church family played a big part in that. I just want to thank them as well. They pushed me, they prayed. Look where we’re at now. All these offers, all these bowl games I’ve been invited to — I just thank God. … I had an idea maybe a month or two ago. I just had to think of a place where I started when I was a kid. I love this church and my church family.”
Banuelos is the No. 4 rated player overall in Washington in the 2023 class, per 247’s ratings. He’s the 37th-rated interior lineman nationally. Nine of the top 10 rated players in Washington in the 2023 class have verbally committed to college programs.
This story was originally published July 26, 2022 at 12:28 PM.
