USC Trojans Football: Power Ranking the Last Five Recruiting Seasons

Before we embark on this look at the last five recruiting seasons for the Trojans, one disclaimer...

Because at least the last two recruiting classes have yet to be afforded the time to completely make their mark, a bit of "projection" will be required to assess their place on a list such as this.

Therefore, I reserve the right to be completely wrong as I am no Nostradamus to say the least.

That is only fair, right?

Ummm, right?

No matter.

What you read here is a concerted effort to place, in some kind of order, the importance of the last five Trojans classes, relative to the fortunes of the men of Troy.

Certainly, it won't be easy because so much of this story has yet to be written, including the 2012 chapter, which many who follow the program expect to be one of the finest in a legendary book of success.

So let's get started on a slide show that is bound to invite a lot of scrutiny and perhaps derision for this intrepid writer as well.

No. 5: Class of 2012

Prospective Stars:

Nelson Agholor (Athlete), Max Tuerk (Offensive Lineman), Zach Banner (Offensive Lineman), Jordan Simmons (Offensive Lineman), Gerald Bowman (Safety), Leonard Williams (Defensive Lineman)

Busts:

None

This class resides in the number five spot simply because there is no body of work by which to measure them by.

Long on quality but short on quantity, the 2012 class has an opportunity to be great if for no other reason than there is an abundance of offensive linemen to restock that unit for years to come.

Mix in a five-star safety in Bowman, a "homerun hitter" in Agholor, along with Williams, from whom big things are expected from in the future and it doesn't take much imagination to see that this class may climb when lists such as this are revisited in the future.

Busts? None yet, and Trojan fans hope it stays that way.

No. 4: Class of 2008

Key Players:

Tyron Smith (Offensive Lineman), Matt Kalil (Offensive Lineman), Nick Perry (Defensive End), Khaled Holmes (Offensive Lineman), Curtis McNeal (Running Back), Jurrel Casey (Defensive Lineman)

Busts:

Blake Ayles (Tight End), D.J. Shoemate (Running back), Daniel Campbell (Offensive Lineman), Malik Jackson (Defensive End)

It was difficult to rank this class so low when it featured two NFL first-round picks (Smith and Kalil) and a likely other one was well (Perry).

What made it even tougher is that two more from this class (Holmes and McNeal) are certain to be crucial to the Trojans success in 2012.

Also not to be forgotten are safety Drew McAllister, defensive end Wes Horton and wide receiver Brice Butler (before he transferred).

Still, this class is abound with busts as neither Ayles and Shoemate lived up to their promise and were transfers (neither made much noise in 2011), and Jackson was never afforded much of a chance here but has found success at Tennessee.

No. 3: Class of 2011

Key Players:

Marqise Lee (Wide Receiver), Aundrey Walker (Offensive Lineman), Lamar Dawson (Linebacker), Andre Heidari (Place Kicker), Marcus Martin (Offensive Lineman)

Busts:

Amir Carlisle (Running Back)

When it is all said and done, this class might very well be the best of them all.

In addition to the five starters mentioned above, quarterback Matt Barkley's likely successor will come from either Cody Kessler or Max Wittek, both 2011signees, and a host of other players will figure prominently this year.

But it is not just the quantity of contributing players from this class that makes it so special but rather the quality.

Marqise Lee headlines a crew of special players and any one of a number of them has an opportunity to leave an indelible mark on Trojan lore.

On the downside is running back Amir Carlisle who not only transferred but had the temerity to wind up at Notre Dame.

No. 2: Class of 2009

Key Players:

Matt Barkley (Quarterback), T.J. McDonald (Safety), Kevin Graf (Offensive Lineman), Devon Kennard (Defensive Lineman)

Busts:

Hebron Fangupo (Defensive Lineman), Jarvis Jones (Linebacker), Byron Moore (Safety), Frankie Telfort (Linebacker), Simone Vehikite (Linebacker)

There is only one reason why this class is ranked so highly and of course, that is due to Matt Barkley being part of it.

Barkley, who stands a chance at being the greatest Trojan of them all, is a transformational figure who has brought USC back from some of the darkest days the program has ever experienced.

That alone makes this class one of the best, not only of the last five years but also of all time.

Barkley is that special.

It didn't hurt to have McDonald part of it also along with Kennard and Graf whom will also be starters in 2012.

Of course, there were an inordinate amount of busts in this class also but in fairness, both Jones and Telfort had medical problems and Jones has gone on to being one of the best linebackers in the nation at Georgia.

No. 1: Class of 2010

Key Players:

Robert Woods (Wide Receiver), Dion Bailey (Linebacker), Hayes Pullard (Linebacker), Nickell Robey (Cornerback), Xavier Grimble (Tight End), George Uko (Defensive Lineman)

Busts:

Markeith Ambles (Wide Receiver), Dillon Baxter (Running Back), Kyle Prater (Wide Receiver)

In determining the best class of the last five years, the factor that stood out most was the impact that the 2010 class will have on the 2012 season.

With at least six starters in this class, including Robert Woods who has a chance to shatter all of USC's receiving records, 2010 has provided the Trojans with a ton of special players.

If this year is as special as most Trojan fans think it will be, it will be largely due to this class and the leadership it provides both on and off the field.

Bailey and Pullard will be dominate at the linebacker positions and Nickell Robey has been a steady factor since he arrived as a freshman.

Of course, we can't overlook the busts, though, and Baxter, along with Ambles, were colossal wastes of time, while Prater just couldn't crack into an extremely talented group of Trojan wide receivers.

Conclusion

It should be noted that there are a number of mitigating factors that went into the compilation of this list, many of which do not offer tangible yardsticks by which to measure them.

For example, the 2009 class had to spend their first two years at USC with no hope of post season participation. How that affected this class is unknown but it certainly couldn't have helped their collective psyche.

In addition, the 2011 and 2012 classes (especially the 2012 class) have little in the way of a resume by which to gauge their contributions.

At the end of the day, a revision of this list in three years may find a complete reshuffling of the order provided now.

If this is so, it likely means that the Trojans have enjoyed seasons of excellence in the years to come.

And that is a notion that is sure to bring a smile to followers of the program without a doubt.