Silas Redd is leaving Penn State and joining the USC Trojans.

Redd is the most high profile Nittany Lions football player to leave the program after the school in the wake of the Jerry Sandusky child sex abuse scandal.

Redd is eligible to transfer immediately without sitting out a season after Penn State was hit with unprecedented sanctions two weeks ago, including a four-year bowl ban. Several Penn State players, including linebacker Michael Mauti and defensive lineman Jordan Hill, said last week they are staying. Redd was not among that group.

"We welcome Silas Redd to the Trojan Family," USC athletic director Pat Haden said in a statement. "He is an outstanding student and athlete. When the NCAA presented the option to transfer, Silas and his family put a lot of thought and research into making this decision.

"At USC, we've seen both sides of this issue, having lost a number of players to transfer due to our NCAA sanctions in 2010. But Lane Kiffin and his coaches would not be doing their job if they did not try to improve our team every single day. There is a specific need here for a player like Silas Redd, so Lane and our coaches recruited him within the guidelines set up in this instance by the NCAA."

Also Tuesday, Penn State junior tight end Kevin Haplea said he will transfer to Florida State.

Redd has two seasons of eligibility remaining. He ran for 1,241 yards and seven touchdowns last season, and ran for more than 100 yards in five consecutive games in mid-October. He was a second-team All-Big Ten pick.

Earlier this year, he was named to the Walter Camp and Doak Walker awards watch lists.

Sources told ESPN on Monday that Redd was leaning toward transferring to USC after his weekend visit to Los Angeles, where he met with USC coaches and players. Among his hosts were quarterback Matt Barkley and wide receiver Robert Woods.

Redd's only options were to stay at Penn State or go to USC, because of the unique nature of the opportunity at USC, a source close to Redd told ESPN's Joe Schad. Redd was intrigued by the chance to win big. He also was concerned that winning quickly might not be possible at Penn State because of players possibly leaving the program. Penn State was the only school Redd wanted to play for at one time.

USC is not allowed to have more than 75 scholarship players because of sanctions the school received in 2010 due to improper benefits. The school needs a spot for Redd, but USC believes at least one player on scholarship is academically ineligible. If not, a walk-on player likely would give up a scholarship.