USC's New Quarterback-Turned-Edge Rusher Makes 600-Pound Squat Look Easy While Adding Resistance Bands To Make Even Harder

Jamil Muhammad has had one of the more unique journeys in college football. The 6-foot-1, 217-pound Alabama-native was a three-star quarterback recruit in the Class of 2019.

Now, five years later, he is playing defensive end/linebacker in Los Angeles.

Muhammad, from Madison, Ala., played quarterback in high school. He threw for 1,773 yards and rushed for 942 yards as a senior while totaling 18 touchdowns.

Eight schools offered Muhammad a scholarship as a signal-caller, including Mississippi State and Ole Miss. Vanderbilt ultimately received his commitment.

However, upon arrival in Nashville, it was clear that he was the odd man out so Muhammad transferred to Georgia State. The Panthers brought him in as a quarterback.

Jamil Muhammad wanted to play quarterback.

Muhammad did not want to play defense and was resistant to making the switch. Not long after getting to Atlanta, though, Georgia State asked him to switch to receiver.

He was tired of it. Muhammad gave up on his quarterback dreams and accepted the move to a new position— linebacker.

'If quarterback is not a position you're going to let me play, put me on the defensive side of the ball wherever you want to put me.' And the journey began at that moment.

Even though defense was not Muhammad's first choice, it has worked out well to this point.

The Panthers used him as a hybrid EDGE rusher that set up as a seven-technique or outside linebacker. He recorded 66 total tackles in the last two seasons with 7.5 sacks, 11 tackles for loss, four pass deflections, four forced fumbles— and one touchdown!

Muhammad's time at Georgia State saw him blossom into one of the most interesting defensive prospects in the country, especially considering where he started. After weighing closer to 220 pounds as a freshman, he's bulked up to 240.

And now he's at USC!

Muhammad hit the transfer portal after the regular season and committed to play for the Trojans. Lincoln Riley's defense was terrible last year and his program was in desperate need of disruptive pass rushers off of the edge.

That is what Muhammad does best. He'll have two years of eligibility left and will compete for playing time on a largely rebuilt defense in Los Angeles.

In the meantime, Muhammad is doing ridiculous things in the weight room. On Tuesday, the redshirt senior put up three reps of 600 pounds on the squat rack.

If that wasn't impressive enough, he did so with resistance bands.

Muhammad is set to play an important role on the Trojans defense this fall. USC did not have anyone who could get after the ball last season, and he will be expected to create mayhem on opposing quarterbacks, a position that he once dreamed of playing in the NFL.