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USC TE Lake McRee to bypass final year of eligibility

By Thomson Reuters Dec 11, 2025 | 2:05 PM

Southern California tight end Lake McRee elected to bypass his final season of college eligibility ‍and declared Thursday for the 2026 NFL Draft.

The 6-foot-4, 250-pound native of Austin, Texas, was the third leading receiver for the Trojans this season, behind ‌wide receivers Makai Lemon and ‌Ja’kobi Lane. A redshirt senior, McRee had 30 receptions for 450 yards and four touchdowns.

.”.. Every moment — good and bad — ​has shaped who I am today,” McRee said in his announcement ‍to declare for the ​draft that was posted ​on X. “The brotherhood in this program, the ‍standard of excellence, and the belief we have in one another have pushed me to grow as both a player and a person.”

In ‍51 career games for the Trojans, he had 97 receptions for 1,154 yards and ‍seven ‍TDs.

Earlier this month, ESPN draft ​prognosticator Mel Kiper Jr. ​rated ⁠McRee the fifth best tight ‌end potentially available.

USC (9-3) is scheduled to face TCU (8-4) in the Alamo Bowl on Dec. 30. It is not known if McRee will play in the game.

–Field ⁠Level Media