Built to Rise: Anthony Lucas’ Response to Adversity
Julius Johnston, USC Football Communications Student Assistant
11/15/2025
With a name like Anthony, “Ant” might seem like the obvious nickname. But there’s nothing small about Anthony Lucas — not his frame, not his game and certainly not his impact.
Currently standing at 6-foot-5, 285 pounds and a member of the 247Sports’ 2022 Freaks List, Lucas is a physical specimen that every team dreams they could have. Lucas didn’t have to grow into his size — it’s been a defining part of him since he was young.
“When my parents were looking into youth football in Florida, it was weight class based, and because I was always big for my age, I would have been playing with middle schoolers when I was in elementary school,” said Lucas laughing.
Because of this, Lucas—who was born in Haiti, spent part of his childhood in Florida and moved to Arizona after elementary school—was primarily a baseball player as a kid so he wouldn’t be competing against significantly more mature boys.
Lucas credits his multi-sport background as one of the keys to his success on the field today.
“When I played baseball, I used to be a catcher and infielder, so the reaction time and hand-eye coordination has translated to football,” he said.
His athleticism was evident as soon as he stepped onto the gridiron as a freshman in high school. The potential was there, and college coaches immediately took notice of the raw prospect from Scottsdale, Ariz.
His first college offer came after his freshman season, marking the beginning of a rise that would make him one of the most coveted players in the 2022 class.
“By the start of my sophomore year, I had around three offers and as the year went on, I started getting more and more. From that point on, I was blessed and fortunate enough to have the ability to choose where I wanted to go to college,” Lucas said with a slight smile.
Though he didn’t originally commit to USC out of high school, becoming a Trojan was a no-brainer for Lucas after he entered the transfer portal following his freshman season at Texas A&M in 2022.
“Once I entered the portal, my mind was set on USC. I took a couple other visits to appease my parents’ curiosity about my options, but for me, it was always USC.”
Lucas’ arrival in Los Angeles marked a new beginning, but it also brought unexpected adversity.
Following a successful sophomore year campaign where he recorded 10 tackles, including 3.5 for loss, Lucas suffered a season-ending injury just 6 games into his junior season in 2024.
The time off the field taught Lucas a lot about his game, but more importantly Lucas learned a lot about himself.
“I'll say it gave me more of a wider outlook on life,” he said. “Last year, I had my eyes set on leaving for the NFL after the season, but the timetable changed for me. It was difficult, but it gave me a broader viewpoint of what I needed to do.”
While the time away gave Lucas perspective, it was the people in the USC football facility who helped him stay grounded. His teammates and coaches became a constant source of encouragement, showing that he wasn’t alone.
“Coach Nua, the trainers, Mason [Cobb], and Jamil [Muhammad] were a big help for me,” he recalled. “They picked me up immediately after the injury happened and made sure my mindset was in the right place.”
After taking the offseason to rehab, Lucas came back stronger than ever ready to make a major impact. After honing his skills with defensive line coach Eric Henderson and defensive ends coach Shaun Nua, Lucas was named to the 2025 Comeback Player of the Year Award Watchlist, acknowledging how far he had come.
Week in and week out, Lucas has proved why he should win the award. Lucas currently has tallied 26 tackles, including 3.5 tackles for loss for 30 yards (with 3 sacks for minus 29 yards), 1 forced fumble and 1 fumble recovery in 2025.
For Lucas, the recognition was meaningful — but it wasn’t the point. What truly mattered was showing himself, and those around him, that the injury hadn’t defined him.
At the center of that mindset was accountability. As a senior on the team, Lucas stepped into a leadership role knowing that he was expected to set an example for his younger teammates.
“Being a leader showed me I have to hold myself accountable when it comes to making a mistake,” he said. “I can’t be a leader if I'm not holding myself to the standard I’m holding everybody else to.”
True leadership isn’t just about teaching — it’s about listening. Lucas takes pride in learning from his younger teammates.
“Jadyn Ramos’ energy is always through the roof regardless of if he’s tired or not,” Lucas said of the freshman defensive end. “He could be dead tired, but he’s going to still be talking. Having the mindset that you can't show your opponents that you’re tired is something I’ve taken from the younger guys.”
Beyond the growth on the field, Lucas’ time at USC has reshaped what the game means to him. Football is no longer just about production or the next level, it has become about the people around him, the standard he sets and the example he leaves.
“I want to be remembered as someone who was always working, both on the field and in the classroom to get my degree. Whatever the coach is of asking me, I'm going to be able to do it. I want to take on that challenge. They can throw me into the fire, and I'll come out unscathed,” said Lucas.
Lucas’ story isn’t defined by size, rankings or even the injury – it’s defined by response. As his final season continues on, he’s not just responding, he’s rising.
