Marvell Tell to USC: Trojans Land 4-Star Safety Prospect

USC added a critical piece to its 2015 recruiting class, as 4-star safety Marvell Tell pledged his commitment to Steve Sarkisian and the Trojans.

Ryan Abraham of USCFootball.com notes the announcement:

Tell joins fellow US Army All-American Ykili Ross, who will accompany him at USC. 

Bleacher Report College Football Analyst Michael Felder breaks down the dynamic duo how they'll fare in Southern California.

The athletic safety is a product of Crespi High School (Encino, California) and is ranked as the No. 61 player in the country, No. 4 safety in the country and No. 9 player in the state of California, according to 247Sports’ composite rankings.

He checks in at 6’2” and 175 pounds and has a listed 40-yard dash time of 4.50 seconds, per his 247Sports profile.

247Sports

Tell uses his size and quickness to burst through any open lanes on the offensive line and attack the opposing rushing game. He covers plenty of ground, even from deep in the backfield, which helps him get to the line of scrimmage quicker than his opponents can react at the high school level.

Once he gets to the ball-carrier, Tell rarely misses a tackle in the open field.

In terms of pass coverage, those same athleticism traits that allow him to provide run support come into play. Tell possesses impressive lateral quickness, which helps him range from the middle of the field where he is positioned to either sideline. When the ball is in the air, he uses that speed to get in prime position when defending passes.

Brandon Huffman of Scout and Fox Sports was there to alert fans when Tell got in perfect position during the season at a critical moment:

Perhaps Tell's best trait is his reaction time and instincts from the safety position. He can be an enforcer for the Trojans' defense because he seems to have a nose for the football and breaks up critical passes when the game is on the line.

Thanks to this skill set, virtually the entire Pac-12 showed interest at one point or another. Per 247Sports, UCLA, USC, Washington State, Arizona State, California and Colorado, among others, offered scholarships while national powers such as Notre Dame, Nebraska, Louisville and Miami offered scholarships as well.

Given his versatility as both a run-stuffer and a coverage safety, his speed and his ability to stop routes and wrap up on tackles in the open field, look for Tell to contribute right away as a freshman.

He has the height of a prototypical safety, and will likely add muscle in his early days inside an elite collegiate weight-training program. From a physical standpoint, he will be fine as a freshman. 

Once he gets enough mental and physical reps on the actual field in games and practices, he will develop into a star at the back end of the Trojans' defense.