Philly’s Eric Gentry causes chaos in the middle of USC’s defense: ‘It’s been a perfect match’

Five-year-old Eric Gentry would think his now 22-year-old self is pretty cool. Gentry, the Philly native who graduated from the University of Southern California last spring, is one of college football’s unique players.

At 6-foot-6, Gentry has a 7-1 wingspan, and mans the middle of USC’s defense. Off the field, the Neumann Goretti graduate has gotten used to the change in culture, including the food, music, and fashion on the West Coast.

On the field, Gentry makes life difficult for opposing quarterbacks aiming to throw over the middle of the field, using every inch of his length to disrupt passing lanes. And coming from Philly, a known basketball city, he had to decide between the two sports.

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“I could be another 6-6 basketball player, or I could be something that nobody ever seen a football player at, being 6-6 and [being] a linebacker,” Gentry thought to himself.

He chose the latter, and enters his fifth and final college season as an unquestioned leader on USC’s defense.

“It’s been a perfect match, to be honest,” Gentry told The Inquirer. “[Defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn] and me [have] been crafting every day, doing different stuff every day, putting me in different positions every day. And I think him understanding the type of skill set that I have, and more importantly, just being able to utilize everything and leading by example, with being mature.”

The road from Philly to the West Coast had a pit stop in Arizona. After forgoing his senior season that was moved to the spring of 2021 because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Gentry enrolled early at Arizona State under then-head coach Herm Edwards.

After finishing with a freshman All-American campaign at Arizona State, compiling 45 tackles (five for loss), one sack, and two passes defended, Gentry transferred to USC in 2022, and has been a mainstay for two different defensive coordinators, Alex Grinch and Lynn.

“I think [Eric] just being the only returning starter in [the linebacker] room, he just feels extra leadership in the scheme and you saw him kind of take that next step being a vocal leader,” Lynn, who is entering his second year at defensive coordinator, said earlier this month.

“I’ve never really coached a guy quite like Eric, with his size, with his skill set, with the number of positions that he can play. … We’re just super excited about the strides he took and how we’ll be able to utilize him.”

At Arizona State, Gentry was coached by Edwards, a longtime cornerback for the Eagles and former New York Jets and Kansas City Chiefs head coach, and Antonio Pierce, who went on be the Las Vegas Raiders’ head coach in 2023 and 2024.

Now at USC, his linebackers coach is Rob Ryan, a longtime NFL defensive coordinator (and son of former Eagles coach Buddy Ryan) who returns to the college game for the first time since 1999.

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Ryan, who was hired by the Trojans in January, gave high praise to Gentry in his opening news conference, drawing a unique comparison for the linebacker who can line up inside the box and on the edge.

“[Gentry] does the unnatural, natural. I love this kid,” Ryan said in February. “He reminds me of the ‘Honey Badger’ [Tyrann Matheiu, who played 12 years in the NFL]. Just stick him anywhere, that kid will make a play.”

Added Gentry: “I would have never thought [Coach Ryan] would have said it, but it was honestly a compliment, especially with instinct-wise, because I feel as though [Mathieu] one of the most instinctual players ever. No matter how big he was, he’s, to me, a Hall of Famer, just off what he brought to the game, and how much he elevated that Chiefs team and every team he was on, from the Cardinals to the Texans to and even the Saints.”

Gentry had a strong start to the 2024 season before heredshirted after suffering a series of concussions. Even in that shortened season — he returned for the Trojans’ bowl game — he still led USC in tackles for loss (seven). At USC, Gentry has collected 150 tackles (15 for loss), five sacks, four forced fumbles, and two interceptions.

Entering the 2025 season, which begins against Missouri State on Saturday (7:30 p.m., Big Ten Network), Gentry was named to the watch lists for both the Butkus Award, which goes to the nation’s top collegiate linebacker, and the Lott Impact Trophy, awarded to the defensive college football player of the year. After finishing 7-6 in its first season in the Big Ten, USC has much higher expectations this year, and Gentry will play a large role.

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“I’ve never coached a guy who can cover every tight end in the country. He can,” Ryan said. “There’s where he’s going to excel at the next level. All these tight ends like [Brock] Bowers and all who are killing people — well, they haven’t seen Gentry. When he gets up there, he’s going to be special.”

One lesson that Gentry carries with him from his late grandmother is to “never forget where you came from.” When someone out in California, on his team or around campus, asks where he’s from, Gentry is quick to reply.

“We got so much talent [in Philly], so much talent that’s coming up, so much talent has been there in the past, too. I think the biggest thing is just influence, just seeing people around you try to make other stuff cool besides athletics,” Gentry said.

“There’s so many other ways to just be cool out here and be influential, especially me, not growing up anywhere else besides uptown and north and inner city Philly. … I always made sure football is my No. 1 thing.”

Gentry could be the next up to become the latest in a growing list of area natives to make it to the NFL. Abdul Carter and Marvin Harrison Jr., both born and raised in Philly, were recently drafted inside the top five of their drafts.

“I got to get that first round, so I could really officially be a part of it,” Gentry said. “Being able to see people like Isheem Young and his come up. Tykee [Smith] and his come up, being able to see it firsthand, being able to see [D’Andre] Swift firsthand, it was honestly amazing, to be honest. It has been such a blessing to be able to see people do it before me and lay a blueprint out, not just for me, but for people who still are already in Philly.”