Laying the Foundation: USC Football Recruiting, 2011 (Part Four)

As is to be expected, while I was away doing other things, Lane Kiffin, Ed Orgeron and company were busy extending offers to prep athletes who could don the cardinal and gold for the 2011 season.

Following the criteria established in the first three articles of this series, I will play "catch up" and highlight those four-star athletes, as rated by Scout.com, that the Trojans have offered.

Included in these profiles will be any four-star athletes who the Trojans haven't yet offered but who have listed a "high" interest in playing for USC.

Also, Trojan fans can now cross off a "five star" linebacker off the list of prospective athletes that the Trojans have offered.

Lawrence Thomas, the big middle linebacker from Detroit, has given his verbal pledge to his hometown Michigan State Spartans.

Although not unexpected, Thomas nonetheless sure would have looked good as a Trojan. Still, his signing with USC was a longshot at best.

Okay, before USC offers anyone else, lets take a look at the balance of four-star athletes offered by the Trojans as rated by Scout.com:

Travis Hughes

USC needs linebackers, and Travis Hughes is one of the best in the country. A 6'1", 220 lb. (4.55 40) heat seeking missile from Virginia Beach, VA, Hughes had a productive junior season and will be looked upon from his high school program to be even better as a senior.

Hughes has slotted the Trojans, as he does with all the programs that have offered him, as "medium" on his interest list.

Mike Bellamy

The only thing keeping this 5'10", 175 lb. running back from being a five star is his size. Possessing everything else in a prototype running back, including elusiveness and breakaway speed, Bellamy's lack of power should be remedied as he finds his way into the weight room with regularity.

Having said that, look for Bellamy to choose between Florida and Georgia.

Matt Hegarty

Another area of need for the Trojans' is the offensive line, and Matt Hegarty is one of the best prep o-linemen in the country. Possessing good size (260 lbs.) and a frame to add much more (6'6"), Hegarty has intriguing potential.

Hegarty has more than a dozen offers already and will secure many more before his senior season is complete. USC, like all others, is listed as "medium" on his interest list.

Kevin McReynolds

USC is reaching into the junior college's for this undersized but extremely athletic defensive tackle. McReynold's, who runs a sub 4.8 40, will need to add weight to his 6'3", 255 lb. frame. He should be able to do so at a major college program.

Including USC, McReynold's holds more than a dozen offers, all of which he lists as "medium" in terms of his interest.

Jeoffrey Pagan

Another athletic defensive end, Jeoffrey Pagan is coveted by most of the major programs in the country. Among his strengths are his ability to quickly come off the edge to wreak havoc in his opponents backfield. Pagan, who hails from Asheville, NC, only needs to work on his technique to become a dominant player at the next level.

Jordan Prestwood

Another light (260 lb.) offensive lineman with the frame (6'6") to add much more weight, Jordan Prestwood, who resides in Plant City, FL, has offers from most of the major programs in the country. He lists USC, like all others, as "medium."

Ian Seau

Yes Trojan fans, there is another "Seau" on the horizon for USC. Although the Trojans have yet to offer the nephew of former Trojan great Junior Seau, expect that to change soon.

Ian Seau, who will play defensive end in college, has very good speed and athleticism and only needs to add weight to his 6'4" frame, which should be easy to do at the next level. Seau lists the Trojans, as should be expected, as "high" on his list of prospective programs to sign with.

Tevin Williams

Trinity High School in Euliss, TX has produced a lot of fine running backs in the past, and Tevin Williams is the next in line. Although he doesn't hold a lot offers right now, he is starting to get a lot of interest from many programs, including the Trojans. Williams, who is 5'11", 175 lbs., needs to improve his size and break away speed. But with another year under his belt, he should be able to do both.

Best of all, Tevin Williams has the Trojans listed as "high" on the roll of his prospective suitors, the only program to hold that status.

This represents the balance of the four-star prep athletes that the Trojans have offered.

However, with this being so early in the recruiting season, there will be many changes in the future, and I will do my best to stay on top of them.

Not only will the Trojans add more athletes to their list of who they have offered. but also the three-star athletes who graduate to four star will also represent the fluid status of USC's recruiting efforts.

So stay tuned and see what the 2010 prep football season has to offer in terms of those athletes that the Trojans would like to see don the cardinal and gold for the 2011 football season.