Zach Banner to USC: Trojans Land Star OT Prospect

The USC Trojans secured the commitment of Lakewood, Washington offensive tackle Zach Banner on Monday. Depending who you ask, Banner is either a four- or five-star recruit.

The news comes straight from Ryan Abraham of USCFootball.com, who has the right of it when he says that this is a big boost for Trojans head coach Lane Kiffin:

Banner is widely considered one of the best tackle prospects in the country, as he has the size and athleticism to fit right in at left tackle at the collegiate level.

Player Ranking/High School Accomplishments

ESPNU has Banner ranked at No. 122 on its list of recruits, and the No. 15 tackle prospect. Rivals.com, on the other hand, has Banner ranked as the No. 2 tackle in the country. Per Scout.com, Banner earned all-state honors as a junior in 2010, and he is also a standout basketball player.

Final College Choices: Oklahoma, Washington, USC

What Banner Brings

The one thing that stands out about Banner is his size. He's somewhere between 6'8" and 6'9" and he weighs roughly 300 pounds. He also boasts above-average athleticism for a lineman, which no doubt has something to do with his basketball background.

Why Banner and USC Are a Good Fit

The Trojans have lost left tackle Matt Kalil to the draft, so you have to think Lane Kiffin is eyeing Banner as a potential replacement. He may not start right away, but left tackle is where Banner is going to be sooner or later. He's a huge get for Kiffin, both literally and figuratively.

Projected 2012 Impact

My gut tells me that Banner won't start right away as a true freshman, but Kiffin would be wise to include him in his depth chart. He needs to put Banner on the path to becoming an elite tackle.