Brett Neilon to USC: Trojans Land 4-Star Center Prospect

USC secured the commitment of one of the best interior offensive linemen in the country on Wednesday after Brett Neilon announced that he's heading to Los Angeles.

Neilon announced his decision on Twitter:

According to 247Sports' composite rankings, Neilon is the No. 2 center in the 2017 recruiting class. The 4-star recruit is also the 196th-best player overall and 21st in the state of California.

Interest in Neilon was particularly fevered in the western half of the country, with nine of the 12 Pac-12 schools offering him a scholarship, per 247Sports.

In an interview with Scout's Greg Biggins last September, the Rancho Santa Margarita, California, native said he was going to be patient regarding his commitment.

"I'll commit when I'm ready, hopefully before my senior season," Neilon said. "Right now, I don't have any leaders or favorites. I'm in no rush, and every school that I'm looking at stands out the same for me. I'll take some of these visits, and that should help me figure out where the best place for me is."

Although Neilon has played left tackle for Santa Margarita Catholic High School, there's little chance he lines up there at the next level.

At 6'2" and 280 pounds, he lacks the size for the position, with his height being a significant roadblock. In an interview with Bleacher Report's Tyler Donohue in March, Neilon said he is hoping to move to center, which would benefit him in the long run.

His time at tackle will be beneficial, though, since he showed off his lateral agility and ability to get to the second level. Matt Moreno of GoAZCats.com highlighted the former with the Vine below:

The Rivals Camp Series also showed how Neilon can stick tightly to his man:

There won't be any doubt as to whether he has the strength to handle defensive tackles in the FBS. His high school coach, Rich Fisher, showed him flexing in the weight room:

Especially if center becomes his full-time position, Neilon will inevitably need an adjustment period once he hits college.

For one, building a strong relationship with his quarterback will be important. He'll also need to have a better understanding of how to read opposing defenses. Fast-tracking those traits isn't easy, so USC would be smart to let him spend his first season on campus in a more peripheral role.

Once he finds a nice comfort zone on the line and on the team as a whole, Neilon has the potential to be among the best interior linemen in the country.