Porter Gustin to USC: Trojans Land 4-Star LB Prospect

One of the most intriguing class of 2015 recruits is officially off the market as linebacker Porter Gustin has committed to USC.

Michael Lev of The Orange County Register passed along the news of the decision:  

Gustin is a four-star prospect and the 41st-ranked recruit in the nation, according to 247Sports. He also ranks as the No. 4 outside linebacker, although it is unclear what role he will play at the collegiate level.

The Salem, Utah native is also quite capable of playing defensive end. He certainly has the size to do so at 6'5" and 245 pounds. In that respect, he is somewhat of a tweener.

Regardless of where he plays, though, he certainly has a skill set good enough to excel.

Despite his size, Gustin is supremely athletic. That was on full display in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl as he was all over the field.

According to Doug Kimmel of Scout.com, he even returned an interception for a touchdown, which speaks to his versatility:

Gustin was recognized for his spectacular performance in that game as he was named the Defensive MVP, per Kimmel:

"

Porter Gustin pick-6. That guy can play some football. @portgus15 representing Utah. Special talent out of Salem Hills.

— Doug Kimmel (@DougKimmelScout) January 3, 2015"

That showing proved that Gustin has all the makings of a hybrid defender who can fit into multiple schemes.

He has been highly recruited for quite some time, but one can only assume that the interest increased even more after he showed what he could do against other elite players in his age group.

Prior to playing in the All-American Bowl, Gustin favored a pair of Pac-12 schools in USC and Arizona State, according to Anna Hickey of Scout.com:

"

Porter Gustin walked away as the Defensive MVP of the Army All-American Bowl. @portgus15 pic.twitter.com/ZrbOvnLLLF

— Doug Kimmel (@DougKimmelScout) January 4, 2015"

Per 247Sports, Notre Dame, Ohio State and Arkansas were very much in the running for his services as well.

When push came to shove, Gustin's father, John, revealed that playing for a winning program was paramount for his son, according to Brandon Gurney of The Deseret News.

"

Winning is very important to Porter. Obviously academics is the most important thing, but after that it’s about winning a conference championship, contending for a national championship, and then preparing as best he can for the NFL.

"

Apparently Gustin feels as though all of his criteria have been met, and the focus now shifts toward his transition to college football.

Gustin has room to grow from a physical standpoint like all of his peers, but it is already abundantly clear that he is built to play at a high level right away.

There is no guarantee that he'll get a ton of playing time, but it wouldn't be surprising to see him play a fairly important role as a freshman.

Gustin is one of the most exciting recruits in the country, and it will certainly be fun watching his development.

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