Ykili Ross to USC: Trojans Land 4-Star WR Prospect

USC has landed coveted recruit Ykili Ross, an athlete capable of playing on either side of the ball as a wide receiver or cornerback. Wherever he ultimately lands, his playmaking ability should help him make an impact for the Trojans.

As Bruce Feldman of Fox Sports indicates, Ross announced he'll be headed to USC for the "next three years":

Ross is a 4-star recruit that's listed with the wide receiver group in 247Sports' composite rankings. He rates inside the top 200 nationally. The outlet's own rankings view him even more favorably, placing him inside the top 90.

Normally when a recruit is able to play on both sides of the ball, one position is noticeably stronger. The other position is more of a fallback plan should things not work out, thus giving the player a chance to reboot their efforts.

In Ross' case, he's showcased serious potential at both wideout and corner. It opens up more possibilities as he gets ready to begin his collegiate career.

Steve Sarkisian and the USC Trojans are turning a corner. With sanctions in their rearview mirror, they have become a force to be reckoned with in the Pac-12 South once again. Taking back the power in Los Angeles from rival UCLA begins with adding more talented recruits like Ross. 

Eventually he, along with the coaching staff, will have to pick a position for him to focus most of his attention. He sports an impressive combination of size and athleticism that's made him a matchup nightmare at the high school level.

It's that talent that allowed him to get chosen for the Army All-American Bowl, an honor he discussed with Scott Schrader of 247Sports.

"I was blown away when I learned I was being invited to such an incredible game with the best players in the country," Ross said. "It's the biggest bowl game in America and only a select few get this amazing opportunity. And to have all of these people show up and support me made this a day I will never forget. A lot of great players are playing in this game and I can't wait for it to get here."

On offense, he projects as a player who's going to run a lot of intermediate routes that will allow him to use that 6'2'' frame to his advantage. That equates to a lot of looks on third down to move the chains and in the red zone. But he also has enough speed to break a big play.

Defensively, he has the skill set necessary to become an imposing physical corner. Those types of players are really starting to gain traction, especially at the NFL level. So in terms of his future outlook, that probably presents the most upside.

That said, Jamie Uyeyama from SonofaCoach.com is confident he'll succeed on either side of the ball:

"

Poly High (Riverside) athlete Ykili Ross is going to have to eventually choose between wide receiver or cornerback at the next level. Right now it has to be a toss up as to what he will choose because he is very good at both. All I know is that someone is going to get an excellent football player to come to their school no matter what side of the ball he ends up on.

"

There will be a learning curve. When a terrific athlete, who's used that natural ability to thrive in high school, is forced to focus on one area, it's a transition. Things like technique and reads will come with time, but the potential is clearly there.

Even if Ross doesn't make an immediate impact, it's a solid signing. The long-term outlook is positive despite there likely being some short-term growing pains along the way.