USC Football Recruiting: 5 Fall Freshmen Most Likely to Take a Redshirt

Amid the incredibly high expectations for the 2012 USC Trojans is a fact that head coach Lane Kiffin will have to live with for the next two years.

Despite the wealth of talent this year's team is blessed with, there will be a need to keep a very close eye on the roster of eligible players.

Because of the continuing NCAA sanctions which will eliminate 20 more scholarships over the next two years (to go along with the 10 they lost this year), Kiffin and his crew will have to "sequester" as many bodies as possible to get them through the foreseeable future.

To that end, those players who take a redshirt become valuable pawns in prosecuting the game plan for 2014 (when sanctions end) and beyond.

The strategy for getting the Trojans through the sanctions actually began when the Trojans learned of their punishment and evidence of that can be seen in last year's large crop of players who took a year off from eligibility.

And so it continues this year when a new batch of players will be asked to take this year off in order to play in the future.

This slideshow will look at the five incoming fall freshmen most likely to take that strategic redshirt in 2012.

It won't be because these guys can't play, but rather, their contributions will needed more later.

No. 5: Darreus Rogers (Wide Receiver)

I'm going out on a limb here a bit because the wide receiver unit is pretty thin these days at "Trojanville."

Evidence of that was made clear at the recently completed spring session, when injuries often left USC quarterbacks with walk-ons to throw to.

And it should be pointed out that 6'2", 195-lb. Darreus Rogers will stay active until late in the season as Kiffin and his coaches monitor the frail health of oft-injured receivers such as George Farmer Jr.

Much will depend on whether or not anyone goes down with injury as the season progresses, but if the wide receiver unit stays healthy, look for Rogers to take a redshirt because he will be much more valuable later when the current bumper crop of pass-catching studs take their talents to the next level.

No. 4: Jordan Simmons (Offensive Lineman)

The Trojans have a trio of fabulously talented freshmen offensive linemen coming in the fall, that much we know for sure.

Zach Banner, Max Tuerk and Jordan Simmons will all—at some point—star for the Trojans along the offensive line.

But not in 2012, and certainly not as a trio of eligible players this year.

Which leaves us with a question of exactly whom will take this season off, and it may be more than one player.

In answering this question, it may come down to physical conditioning and if that is the case, then look for Jordan Simmons to take a year off to mold his 6'5", 340-lb. body.

No. 3: Kevon Seymour (Cornerback)

The Trojans are simply loaded in their defensive backfield and that makes Pasadena, California's Kevon Seymour a casualty for active player status in 2012.

With USC at least three deep at the corners for this season, the 6'0", 170-lb. Seymour can put this year to good use as he gains some much-needed weight to address the rigors of the position going forward.

Seymour will be an outstanding player for the Trojans.

But not in 2012.

No. 2: Devian Shelton (Defensive Backfield)

Much like Kevon Seymour, Inglewood High School's Devian Shelton will use 2012 to bulk up his 6'2", 180-lb. body for the rigors of the safety position, which is where he is projected to wind up.

Shelton was one of the last players to receive a scholarship offer from the Trojans and he was considered a "project" when he committed to USC.

Projects always take at least a year to develop and for that reason, plus depth at the position means redshirt time for young Mr. Shelton.

No. 1: Jalen Cope-Fitzpatrick (Tight End)

Unlike the prior two players who need time to develop physically, 6'5", 250-lb. tight end Jalen Cope-Fitzpatrick is field-ready right now.

However, the Trojans are loaded at his position with co-starters Xavier Grimble and Randall Telfer, both stars, and they are backed up by Junior Pomee and Christian Thomas, who are also very talented when healthy (not a given for either of these two).

Cope-Fitzpatrick will be the next "big thing" at this position, but not this year.

Conclusion

Some coaches have the luxury of stockpiling talent by redshirting their young players simply for the ability to develop them both physically and mentally.

Lane Kiffin is not one of those coaches.

Instead, he and his staff must consider depth issues years down the road and because of that, certain units must be handled with kid gloves in order to maintain a solid group of players at each position.

Practices and game-planning are altered and, of course, the players themselves are sometimes sacrificed to either a redshirt year when one may not be warranted or, conversely, simply for the good of the team.

The players listed in this slideshow will be heard from sooner rather than later, but it won't be in 2012.

For fans of the program, they must relinquish all concerns regarding playing time to Coach Kiffin and his imminently capable staff.

So far, that plan has worked out pretty well for all involved.