USC Football: 7 Best Defensive Players

For the next few years, depth issues will be a driving consideration for the Trojan coaching staff as they try to deal with the scholarship reductions that came as a result of the NCAA sanctions leveled at USC stemming from the Reggie Bush scandal.

The luxury of having a deep rotation of players will be absent until those schollies are reinstated thus forcing starting players to have to go longer in games where they normally would be replaced by quality back-ups.

However, the starting lineups of both the offense and defense should still feature some of the best players in the nation even as the Trojans attempt to mitigate the damage of a lack of depth in the upcoming years.

In 2011, there will quality players on both sides of the ball, and the depth excuses, though somewhat evident still, should be much less of a concern then it will be in the future.

For the defense this year, there will be some outstanding talent featured in coordinator Monte Kiffin's starting lineup.

They better be good because a repeat of last year's defensive debacles will be unacceptable if the Trojans want to return to the glory of recent USC teams.

If spring practice was any indication, they will be better.

And it is the following players featured in this slideshow that will lead them in 2011...

No. 7: Tony Burnett

Like many Trojan fans, this author just loves the passion that former walk-on Tony Burnett brings to the defensive backfield.

A two-sport athlete, Burnett uses his long and triple jumping athleticism to complement his dogged pursuit of opposing receivers as both a cornerback and safety.

Burnett has been working out at cornerback this year, and when spring camp broke, he was named a starting, albeit tentative, corner opposite Nickell Robey.

At 6'1", Burnett has the height to give opposing receivers fits, and if he can hone his technique to suit the new position (Burnett played mostly safety last year), he will be a beast in 2011.

No. 6: Devon Kennard

If this slideshow had been written just two months ago, Devon Kennard would not be included in this list.

As anyone who watched the Trojan defense last year knows, as a middle linebacker, Kennard left a lot to be desired.

But with his recent position change back to defensive end, the position he was recruited for, he should be much better in 2011.

Better suited to playing with a hand on the ground, Kennard is an excellent athlete who should be able to utilize his quickness off the ball to hound the opposing offenses backfield.

With Nick Perry (more on him later) at the other end spot, Kennard will have plenty of space to move around the offensive tackle who will have to assume single team responsibility for containing him.

And if he can, Kennard will have a big year to be sure.

No. 5: George Uko

The Trojans have turned out some beasts at defensive tackle in recent years.

Sedrick Ellis, Mike Peterson, Jurell Casey, you know the names and opposing offensive players have felt the pain.

Now get ready to meet the next big thing (literally) in the interior of the Trojans defensive line.

George Uko, all 6'4", 310 lbs. of him, may be better than all of those aforementioned studs when all is said and done.

Last year's Service Team Defensive Player of the Year, Uko spent the entirety of spring practice throwing around his offensive counterparts like rag dolls.

Now, Uko is ready to do the same to the Trojans opponents.

In a year when there is little in the way of defensive tackle depth, Uko will be seeing the field of play a lot for the Trojans in 2011.

And that is bad news for whomever is lining up across from him.

No. 4: Chris Galippo

Whenever middle linebacker Chris Galippo takes the field for the Trojans, everyone associated with the program holds their breath.

A survivor of two herniated disc surgeries already, Galippo was held out of spring practice because of that pesky back.

But if Galippo can ever get past those chronic injuries, he has the talent to be very good.

Possessing an NFL body at 6'2", 255 lbs., Galippo is a prototypical middle linebacker who is very good at stuffing the run.

This year, he will be counted on to anchor a very inexperienced linebacker corps, and the Trojans will continue to pray for his health.

As a steadying influence for the new 'backers, Galippo must play a lot, and if he does, the Trojans and his young fellow linebackers will benefit all the way around.

No. 3: Nickell Robey

Along with wide receiver Robert Woods, the only other true freshman to start for the Trojans in 2010 was cornerback Nickell Robey.

There was (and is) a good reason for that.

Despite his diminutive stature (5' 8", 170 lbs.), Robey was the best cornerback the Trojans had on their roster other than senior shutdown corner Shareece Wright.

Last year, Robey held down the other side of the field opposite Wright who was good enough to be drafted by the San Diego Chargers and did a good job, especially later in the season as he gained experience.

Now, Robey is a more confident cornerback, and along with that, comes his dynamic leadership.

For a defensive backfield that was one of the worst statistically in the nation in 2010, it will take every bit of Robey's talents to make that unit a strength instead of a weakness in 2011.

Robey will do everything in his power to accomplish that, and if the corner opposite him does his part, the Trojans should be just fine.

Can the Trojans succeed with their lockdown cornerback only standing a generous 5'8"?

If his name is Nickell Robey, they can.

Check out this excellent article about Nickell Robey by Mac D.

No. 2: Nick Perry

If you had to pick one group of defensive players that are stocked with both quality and depth for the Trojans, that would probably be the ends.

And of all of the defensive ends on the Trojans roster, the best is Nick Perry.

Perry, who is an athletic freak at 6'3", 255 lbs., uses his 4.58 40-yard dash speed to terrorize opponents' backfields every time he steps on the field.

With 12 sacks in only 10 starts, Perry's only issue is his health which saw him miss time in 2010 due to a sprained ankle.

But if Perry can stay healthy, he can do some incredible things.

How Incredible?

Well, Perry himself says that his goals for 2011 is to garner 15 sacks.

That isn't idle talk either, he has the talent to do that.

And that is why he is No. 2 on this list.

No. 1: TJ McDonald

The fruit sure doesn't fall far from the tree when it comes to "McDonald's" and the Trojans.

Tim McDonald, T.J.'s dad, was an All-American safety for the Trojans in the 80s, and now, his son is in line to duplicate the feat in 2011.

Last year, McDonald earned a bevy of postseason honors while leading USC in tackles and tying for second on the team in interceptions.

And that was the first year in Monte Kiffin's defensive scheme which, unfortunately for the Trojans, was mostly a learning experience in 2010.

Now with that first year under his belt, both the Trojans in general, and McDonald specifically, are expected to benefit immensely in the upcoming year.

Since McDonald was already very good last year, improvement this year should translate to big numbers for the younger McDonald.

And that is why he is No. 1 on this humble list.

Conclusion

The problem with any preseason ordered list is that someone is bound to make the author of that list look foolish by having a big year.

Conversely, injuries or diminished play can make people scratch their heads and ponder why some of these players were even considered.

Further, a whole group of players, those being the incoming freshmen, have been omitted from this list simply because there is no body of work at the college level by which to judge them.

Having said that, few would be surprised if guys like freshmen linebackers Lamar Dawson, Anthony Sarao or Tre Madden, defensive tackles such as Christian Heywood or Antwaun Woods, or any number of new Trojans turn out to be immediate studs.

And certainly, that would please both the Trojan coaches and their fans.

Of course, if they do make that big of a difference, it would necessitate a rewriting of this list.

That wouldn't be so bad either.