Lane Kiffin Visits Seantrel Henderson: Which USC Recruits Could Be Gone?

On Monday, Lane Kiffin and three assistant coaches flew to Minnesota to meet with Seantrel Henderson, the five star offensive tackle who highlighted their 2010 No. 1 ranked recruiting class. The news was first reported by Bruce Feldman of ESPN.

Apparently, Kiffin and his staff are worried that Henderson is wavering on his decision to come to USC and went to see him to make sure he was still planing to be a part of the Trojans football team.

Since the NCAA announced sanctions against USC early this month, banning them from postseason play for two years, taking away 30 scholarships over the next two years, and forfeiting all wins from the 2005 season, there has been endless speculation about the future of the program from every imaginable angle.

Of course, recruiting and potential transfers are at the forefront of the discussion, and with good reason.

When recruits such as Henderson start waving, prospects like 2011 five star running back De'Anthony Thomas change their commitment to a soft verbal, and several names pop up as potential transfers, there's reason for concern.

So what will happen with the top names from USC's prized 2010 recruiting class?

Lets look over some of the top names from the Trojans' 2010 recruiting class and break down their situations.

Many of these players will stay put, but don't be surprised to see a few switch gears and ditch the program.

Christian Thomas, TE

Christian Thomas was Scout's No. 8 tight end from the 2010 class and joins two other top 10 tight ends from USC's latest recruiting class.

He chose USC over Oregon, Oregon State, and Miami .

Naming the school's strong academics and storied football program as two of the top reasons he chose the Trojans, Thomas seems most concerned about being close to home near his family and friends.

It was important for him to go to a school close to his parents, and there's little debate that was at the forefront of his decision.

He canceled a trip to Oregon State before signing his letter of intent, and there doesn't to be much wavering from him at this point. But with the competition at tight end so fierce, playing time could be sparse, and it wouldn't be surprising to see someone transfer.

Glen Stanley, LB

Glen Stanley has the opportunity to be a big part of USC's linebacker corps now that Jordan Campbell has officially asked for his release and is looking to Boise State as his next destination.

Jordan had an up and down career with the Trojans and off-field issues essentially got him banished to the bench. His time appeared to be coming with the serious lack of depth, but now Stanley should be the beneficiary.

Stanley is a junior college transfer and has the size and experience to step in immediately and contribute.

You could be concerned about where he stands considering he was originally a Tennessee commitment, but Stanley wants to hit the field running and there's little to worry about if you're thinking he'll head back to the Vols.

It was the fact that USC has produced so many NFL linebackers recently that sold him on the program, and nothing's happened to change that.

D.J. Morgan, RB

Morgan was one of the 2010 commitments who reconsidered his commitment to USC after Pete Caroll jumped ship.

He still ended up signing his letter of intent, but with the added NCAA sanctions and the fact that the roster is loaded with running backs who are likely to start ahead of him for years to come, Morgan might be a prime candidate to move on.

He hasn't enrolled in any classes yet, so the process of being released from his commitment isn't as strenuous as it would be for other prospects who enrolled early.

He held offers from Florida, Stanford, Tennessee, Cal, and Washington, and it wouldn't be surprising for him to pick up his bags and move on to any of these schools.

Demetrius Wright, DB

One of the top cornerbacks of the 2010 class, Demetrius Wright isn't a player who has much of a chance of transferring. Not only does he call USC his "dream school“, he's stepping into a favorable situation and has the chance to be big part of the secondary as a true freshman.

They have a lot of openings in their secondary, and a playmaker like Wright has a good chance of stepping in and getting the chance to start.

Washington, Tennessee, and Alabama were all in the mix before he chose USC, but it doesn't appear he's wavering on his commitment.

Nickell Robey, CB

One of the big surprises of the 2010 class was the commitment from cornerback Nickell Robey.

He switched to USC right before national signing day after appearing to be a lock for Georgia.

With the cloud hanging over the Trojans, Robey is a candidate to change his mind once again and recommit to the Bulldogs. The Florida native was one of the top 10 cornerbacks of the 2010 class and there would be a chance to play a big role at either school right from the get-go.

He held offers from Florida, Michigan, Ohio State, and Tennessee as well, so there's no reason to limit the discussion to Georgia and USC.

Any of these schools would love to add him.

George Uko, DT

The defensive line is the best and deepest position group on the roster.

Lane Kiffin would tell you the same thing when boasting about the depth and talent of his defensive line.

But the nose tackle position is in question due to injuries, and there might be a place for Geroge Uko to leapfrog his competition and start as freshman. It all really comes down to the status of junior defensive tackle Hebron Fangupo; who broke his fibula earlier in the year.

If he can get healthy, Uko won't see the field in 2010, but that's a big if. Broken fibulas can be tricky injuries, and the timetable for recovery varies case by case.

Uko isn't going anywhere if knows he's going to play, but that could quickly change if he thinks he won't.

Randall Telfer, TE

Randall Telfer was one of the first players to commit to USC in the 2010 class, making his intentions known almost a full year before Signing Day.

The four-star tight end has always wanted to be a Trojan, but he wavered after the departure of Pete Carroll and reconsidered his commitment with his family.

He seems more than pleased with the choice of Lane Kiffin and came out publicly to confirm this as well as to reaffirm his commitment to the school.

For Telfer, it wasn't really about Carroll, sanctions, or any of the distractions, he's a Trojan at heart.

Jesse Scroggins, QB

One of the top quarterbacks of the 2010 class, Jesse Scroggins might be one of the big beneficiaries of the sanctions.

It would be surprising to see Matt Barkley stick around past his junior season without the chance to compete for a national championship, but he's not the only Trojan quarterback to consider here.

Mitch Mustin is one of the hot names being discussed among upperclassmen eligible for transfers. He's never really appeared to be too comfortable with his situation and could be one of the players who takes advantage of the chance to move on.

Scroggins is essentially two years away from being the starting quarterback if things go down as expected.

It all really depends on Mustin.

Hayes Pullard, ATH

Hayes Pullard was believed to be a big UCLA lean for most of this year, but switched his commitment to USC late in the game after pressure from his family.

He was one of the top athletes in the country and will make his come at linebacker, but its not a lock where that's going to happen.

Not only is UCLA still a choice to consider, but Arizona State was a darkhorse in the race to acquire his services and might re-emerge now.

Pullard was able to see Vontaze Burfict in action when he visited the Sun Devils last year, and the idea of playing alongside him definitely interested him.

USC is thin at linebacker and that's a plus, but don't count out the importance of having someone like Burfict to lean on when you're learning the ropes.

Markeith Ambles, WR

Markeith Ambles was one of the top receivers in the country, and of the big three USC landed at the position, he's the most likely to jump ship.

He was originally a Tennessee commitment, but when Kiffin moved to USC he followed suit. While it's obvious that he was more concerned with playing for Kiffin than he was with the difference between the two programs, he might want to rethink his decision now.

With Kyle Prater and Robert Woods expected to compete with him for the next three to four years, one of them might want to find a friendlier situation.

Prater will have a harder time getting out of his letter of intent because he's already enrolled and has taken classes, and Woods has been a big part of offseason player-only workouts on campus.

They aren't leaving.

No one would give Ambles too much heat if this Georgia native went the other way.

Kyle Prater, WR

Prater was on the fence after Pete Carroll's unexpected departure. He's already enrolled in the school, has taken classes, and participated in USC's spring game.

He'll have a lot of trouble getting permission to transfer based on his situation, but with the sanctions clouding over the immediate future of the program, it wouldn't be too surprising to see it happen.

Prater has the chance to be a huge part of the offense right out of the gates, and while he's a competitive guy who'd like to compete for a championship right away, there's enough talent on the roster to think he'd be willing to wait on it.

Robert Woods, WR

The rest of the country might have their heads wrapped around sanctions, but if you took a look at the offseason program over at USC, you'd think it was business as usual.

Just five days after the NCAA announced USC's sanctions, the players were back on the field for the first of a series of player-only throwing sessions.

If you had any thoughts about the future of Robert Woods, you'll want to know that he was there and performing well. In fact, he was the star of session one.

Woods was one of the highest rated prospects in the country and has the chance to be the No. 1 receiver for the Trojans as a true freshman. He's got the talent, and the situation is right for him to explode.

He's not going anywhere.

Dillon Baxter, RB

Dillon Baxter is in the same situation as Kyle Prater. He enrolled at USC early and will have trouble transferring.

As special a talent as he is, 79 touchdowns his senior season, Baxter is currently fourth on the depth chart at running back and with De'Anthony Thomas expected to join the mix in 2011, there's going to be a lot of competition for carries.

One thing there won't be is competition for championships, at least not until 2012.

Florida and Oregon were both in the mix back when he was being recruited, and you can't help but think about how good of a fit he'd be for the Ducks.

De'Anthony Thomas, RB

We'll throw in a 2011 recruit because he's a rare talent and one of the top prospects in the country.

He's the prize catch of UCS 2011 class to this point, but recently switched his commitment to the Trojans to a soft verbal.

This is because he still plans to visit other schools; he's already scheduled a visit to Washington for September. If he's going to make official visits to schools besides USC, his commitment can only be listed as soft.

Maybe its just a technicality, maybe it's something more.

Thomas’ close relationship with several incoming Trojan players and recruits like Robert Woods and D.J. Morgan makes him unlikely to change his mind, but it can't be a coincidence that he altered his commitment after the sanctions.

Is Thomas just looking for some all expenses paid trips?

Or is he looking for a new home?

Seantrel Henderson, OT

Henderson is seriously contemplating the possibility of not enrolling at USC in the fall. Of all of USC's recruits from the 2010 class, he was arguably the best catch simply because they needed help along the offensive line more than anything.

But Henderson has also been the most unreliable and the player expected to transfer more than anyone.

You know the coaching staff is taking this situation seriously when they get on a plan and make a house call in the middle of the summer just to make sure someone is still planning on attending their university.

Henderson has been on the fence from the moment the sanctions have been announced, and of all the recruits in question, he could be that first domino.

There's a feeling here that he's leaving, and if he does, others may follow.

Ohio State, Florida, Miami, Minnesota, Iowa, and Michigan were some of the schools that pursued him the hardest, but the rumblings out of Ohio are picking up steam.

Henderson might turn into a Buckeye catch.