USC Can Guarantee the NFL, but Not Stardom

If you get recruited by USC, two things must be going through your mind: I'm going to the NFL, and I'm going to pick up one of those pretty song girls.

While Pete Carroll can't guarantee you the latter, a fabled USC career will eventually make you pretty good money from an NFL team.

According to Pete Carroll’s website, there are currently 33 USC players in the NFL, which definitely goes far in proving the "Go to USC, go to the NFL" refrain.

We've seen what has happened to USC players in the NFL. Much is expected, but does it all go smoothly?

The answer is "no".

Take Heisman winner Matt Leinart, for one. After a great career at USC, his numbers have gone where no one expected them: downwards.

Not only have his starts diminished (11 games in 2006, five games in 2007, and absolutely none in 2008), but he’s become more famous for his off-the-field adventures than those on the field. And unless Kurt Warner breaks his leg in 2009, he’ll continue to rot in the reserves.

Then, there’s his formerly favorite target, Dwayne Jarrett. He had a total of 10 receptions this past year, his second season, for just over 100 yards receiving. That’s not exactly a big payoff for Carolina, who took him in the second round, is it?

Oh, and how about Mike Williams? Remember the college superstar wide receiver who made secondaries look silly in 2002 and 2003?

Well, the NFL has made Williams look silly. He’s gone from first-round pick to free agent in a matter of three years. Maybe he should have played quarterback.

That’s not to say that Mark Sanchez shouldn’t have declared for the draft after his junior year.

Remember, the tall guy with the strong arm is a first round shoo-in and probably the best quarterback prospect in the NFL Draft.

Also, owners and coaches alike must feel encouraged to start younger quarterbacks after the breathtaking performances of Joe Flacco and Matt Ryan.

That's funny, because some former USC Trojans did just that before them.

Reggie Bush has seemingly been in stunning form for the New Orleans Saints since he started his NFL career. If he keeps his nose clean, he’ll be a Hall of Fame lock.

Matt Cassel, Carson Palmer’s backup at the Coliseum, was brilliant as a replacement for Tom Brady last season with the Patriots, and that Palmer guy himself has been pretty darned good himself in Cincinnati. Now, if only his coaches could do something about the defense.

And if Keith Rivers started his NFL career with 37 tackles as a rookie in Cincy, then his future potential is frightening.

Oh, and there's that guy Troy Polamalu, who got two Super Bowl rings as a Pittsburgh Steeler. He's one of the best safeties in the game. Not a bad pick for the Steelers, who offered two lower-round picks for the chance to grab the long-haired one in the first round, not bad at all.

And the future for the most recent of "Carroll-stars"?

While we may well see Sanchez start next season, look for Brian Cushing, Rey Maualuga, and Clay Matthews to wreak havoc as NFL linebackers in 2009. God help us if one of them goes to either Baltimore or Pittsburgh.

I’m hoping, for Penn State reasons, that none of the three goes to Carolina or Buffalo.

Then there’s wide receiver Patrick Turner and safety Kevin Ellison, both of whom should shore up a team’s reserves on either side of the ball.

But I will depart with a warning for all USC future NFL players: Remember the ghost of Mike Williams. You might end up like him.