Laying the Foundation: USC Football Recruiting 2011 (Part 5)

When I first started this "Laying the Foundation" series outlining the recruiting efforts of head coach Lane Kiffin, recruiting coordinator Ed Orgeron and company on behalf of the USC Trojans, I anticipated only profiling the five- and four-star (as rated by Scout.com) prep recruits.

Then it occurred to me that perhaps the Trojans would offer three-star recruits as well, and if so, who am I not to profile those erstwhile athletes?

After all, if they are good enough for the Trojans to offer a quarter of a million dollars worth of scholarships, then they are certainly good enough to warrant my meager efforts to profile them.

To that end, this article will profile those three-star recruits that the Trojans have offered, all the while acknowledging that these prep athletes probably will achieve a four-star and perhaps even a five-star rating when all is said and done.

But before we move on to these athletes who are the focus of this piece, there is breaking news coming out of Oaks Christian High School and a 2012 wide receiver who will wind up as one of the most coveted players in the country two years from now.

Jordan Payton, a 6'2", 190-pound speedster who caught 45 passes for 1,018 yards and 18 touchdowns as a sophomore, committed to USC today to play for the Trojans in 2012.

Payton, who hails from the same school that produced Jimmy Clausen and many other big time college players, holds the all time record in most receiving categories for Oaks Christian for a sophomore.

Oaks Christian is a perennial power here in the Southland, and when I tell you that Jordan Payton is a HUGE get for USC, please believe me. This kid is for real.

Okay, Trojan fans, while you bask in the glory of a Jordan Payton verbal, let's get busy with those three-star athletes:

A.J. Johnson

This 6'3", 227-pound middle linebacker from Gainesville, Ga., is coveted by most of the major programs, including defending national champion Alabama. Though Johnson doesn't possess eye-popping speed (4.7 in the 40), he is a ball hawk who is relentless in pursuit.

A.J. Johnson lists his interest in the Trojans, like all of his other offers, as "medium."

Devon Blackmon

Yet another wide receiver who definitely passes the "eyeball test." Blackmon, who goes 6'1", 180 pounds, brings blazing speed (4.41 in the 40) to the table along with his soft hands.

Devon Blackmon, who calls Fontana, Calif., his home, holds many offers already, including those from Alabama and Florida. However, only USC and UCLA are listed as "high" on his list of potential suitors.

Darryl Collins

Earlier in this series, I posed the question, "Is it me or is there an abundance of quality wide receivers?" Now I am sure. There is indeed an abundance of quality wide receivers and you can count Darryl Collins among them.

Collins, who stands 6'0" and weighs 180 pounds, saw only limited action in 2008 but has impressed in various camps since then.

Darryl Collins, who is nicknamed "Pookie," now holds several offers in addition to that of the Trojans, including one from Alabama. Collins lists the Trojans, as he does all others, as "medium" on his list.

Bradley Sylve

Okay, this is getting ridiculous. Bradley Sylve, a 5'10", 175-pound rocket (4.4 in the 40) is yet another...you guessed it...wide receiver. Sylve, who reminds some of Percy Harvin, will be rated much higher before his senior season is over.

Fast with soft hands, Sylve holds offers, in addition to the one from USC, from major programs such as Alabama.

He lists them all as of medium interest.

As might be expected, this is a short list of three-star athletes that the Trojans have offered.

However, as the season progresses, I expect many of these three stars, and others who are rated the same, to progress to four- and even five-star status.

When they do, I will make every effort to bring you all the news that is associated with their progress.

In the meantime, the Trojans will have to be pleased with today's news and the comforting thought that Jordan Payton will don the cardinal and gold for the 2012 season.