Cordell Broadus Should Forge Own Path Despite Dad Snoop Dogg's USC Wishes

Cordell Broadus is a talented wide receiver who's been recruited by some of the nation's top programs. Yet the fact his father is rapper Snoop Dogg has garnered far more attention than his skill level. It's something he must keep in mind as he prepares to make a college choice on national signing day.

The musician formerly known as Snoop Lion, among other monikers, is a massive fan of USC. Sandy Hooper of USA Today noted he's hoping his son will select the Trojans on Wednesday, saying it would "mean the world" if that's the ultimate destination.

Broadus has made it clear throughout the process that he's trying to make a name for himself, though. He doesn't mind being the son of a celebrity and talked as part of the USA Today interview about some of the advice his father gave him during the recruitment period.

His goal is just to prove the hype that surrounds his on-field performance has nothing to do with who his father is. He explained that to Jeff Fedotin of The Post Game back in December.

"I might just be a celebrity's son," Broadus said. "But in reality I'm really out here grinding it and trying to make a name for myself on the field."

That's why going somewhere other than USC is probably his best bet.

Broadus is a 4-star prospect who rates as the No. 2 recruit coming out of Nevada, according to 247Sports' composite rankings. The outlet lists 23 programs as having shown interest in the wideout, with seven still involved heading into signing day.

There are some other top-tier choices available such as UCLA, LSU, Notre Dame and Arizona State. So it's not like he must either choose the Trojans or take a major step back in terms of program prestige.

Make no mistake, no matter what school he chooses on Wednesday, the "Snoop Dogg's son" label is still going to follow him. The chances of him shaking it and starting to forge his own path just increase if he picks a school other than USC.

On the field, Broadus has displayed an intriguing combination of route-running ability and the short-area quickness to make defenders miss. Add in good size that he's learned how to use effectively, and you have a prospect who's pretty well polished for an incoming freshman.

He's not the most explosive wide receiver in the class and he isn't built like a Mack truck, at least not yet. But the raw tools are solid, and he's developed a strong understanding of the position.

If he feels USC gives him the best chance to develop and potentially set him up for an NFL career, there's no problem going in that direction. As somebody who's talked about earning the spotlight for himself, however, joining the Trojans would complicate the effort.

Broadus doesn't need the added attention. He's talented enough to shine on his own.