USC Football: Cody Kessler and 10 Top Incoming Freshman

We're almost there! In just a couple of months Trojan football will return to bring us great excitement.

As players like Mike Morgan and Ronald Johnson move on with their lives, a fresh new batch of USC freshmen have arrived to make an impact on Trojan football in the next several years.

Some may make an immediate impact while others will have to wait for their turn. Nevertheless, the Trojans did some solid recruiting and are ready to blow the Pac-12 away.

Here are the top ten incoming freshmen for the USC Trojans. 

10. Amir Carlisle

Ever since Reggie Bush left, the Trojans have had a difficult time replacing him.

This year, they recruited Amir Carlisle to wear the Cardinal and Gold in the hopes that he could do just that. 

The running back from Sunnyvale, California dominated during his senior year of high school, scoring 28 touchdowns and rushing for 2,110 yards.

He has blazing speed and agility and he's very hard to bring down. Because of this, he is projected by Rivals.com to be a starting running back later in his Trojan career.

He will most likely start off as a kick returner with guys like Dillon Baxter headlining the tailback position in the coming years. But with hard work and time, he can try to make his way up to starting tailback.

9. Cyrus Hobbi

It doesn't matter if Tom Brady or Peyton Manning are your quarterbacks—without a strong offensive line to give the quarterback time to throw, there is no way a team is going to make a championship run.

The Trojans addressed this by going after some solid offensive lineman during the recruiting season. One of these linemen is Cyrus Hobbi from Saguaro, Arizona.

Hobbi is projected by Rivals to become a three-year starter eventually. He is ranked as the fourth highest offensive lineman from all players in that position.

Hobbi has a gigantic 6'4", 285 pound build and he's expected to gain more body mass throughout his career at USC. His strength should provide great protection for the quarterbacks and help the Trojans win some games. 

8. Andre Heidari

The kicker from Bakersfield will address a major problem for the Trojans: making field goals.

Last season, Joe Houston missed key field goals late in several games that cost the Trojans some victories.

Teams never want to play a solid game and lose because of missed field goals. Getting the second ranked kicker in the nation should help them solve this problem.

Heidari already practiced with the team this spring and showed promise with his booming leg. Although he struggled in the spring game, he is ready to make an impact in the special teams game for the Trojans. 

7. Antwaun Woods

Last season, the Trojans defense couldn't stop a nosebleed, to borrow the great words of Bart Scott. 

With defensive line coach Ed Orgeron also serving as the recruiting coordinator, he knew this was a problem and recruited some solid defensive tackles.

One of these recruits is physical behemoth Antwaun Woods.

Woods measures in at 6'1" and 322 pounds. His size limits his mobility but it also undoubtedly gives him an advantage over offensive linemen.

If he can lose some weight and get some mobility he will become even more valuable for a defense that has struggled in recent years.

Woods' name is fitting as he most resembles a California Redwood's tree trunk according to Rivals. That statement pretty much means there is no way anybody is moving him an inch.

Woods will toy with linemen and be a dominant presence in the trenches. 

6. Marqise Lee

The Gardena, CA native, Marqise Lee, will be attempting to battle for a wide receiver spot. The 6'1" specimen has great athletic ability and is known for his speed and agility. 

With Ronald Johnson and Mike Morgan now gone, the Trojans need some wide receiver help in the future.

Lee was ranked No. 3 in his position and No. 4 in the state on Rivals.

Lee has solid potential and will be trying his hardest to represent the Cardinal and Gold by being a great target for Barkley, Wittek, Scroggins, or Kessler.

He will most likely start off as a kick returner. 

5. Max Wittek

Max Wittek is the third ranked quarterback in the nation in the incoming 2011 class.

He will undoubtedly be fighting with Jesse Scroggins and Cody Kessler for the backup quarterback position and the honor of being starting quarterback at USC after Matt Barkley goes pro.

Wittek graduated from Mater Dei High School which is known for producing great football players.

In his senior year at Mater Dei, Wittek had an 87 passer rating, 2252 passing yards, and 24 touchdown passes.

4. Cody Kessler

Here's the other quarterback that USC is relying on to replace Matt Barkley once he goes pro.

Cody Kessler's chance might come as early as next year. 

At Centennial High School, Kessler threw for a remarkable 2831 yards and 36 passing touchdowns.

He will duke it out with Wittek and Scroggins for the starting spot next season (if Barkley leaves early).

Kessler has huge upside and he has time to develop into something special.

Coach Lane Kiffin will have a difficult time selecting who his next quarterback will be, but he is more than happy to have this problem of depth. 

3. Lamar Dawson

As mentioned before, the Trojans needed help defensively last season. One of the major additions this season is Lamar Dawson, the linebacker from Danville, Kentucky.

He was the No. 1 ranked player in the state of Kentucky and the No. 3 ranked linebacker in the nation according to Rivals.

Dawson brings a huge presence with his 230 pound frame. He's quick and has solid hands which will help him make some interceptions throughout his tenure at USC.

If Dawson can maintain his weight so that he doesn't grow out his position, he can be one of the best in the game for the next several years.

2. Aundrey Walker

As mentioned before, the offensive line is crucial for success in football. Aundrey Walker will now join Coach James Cregg's cast of offensive linemen and try to make an impact.

Walker has a hulking frame. Weighing in at 355 pounds, he is an immovable figure who will make sure that nobody gets near the quarterback. 

With size comes lack of mobility, but Walker is an athletic freak and he should be able to make an impact for USC almost immediately. 

The Cleveland, Ohio native was ranked No. 1 in his position and No. 3 in the state of Ohio according to Rivals. Pac-12 defensive linemen are going to have a hard time getting past this behemoth. 

1. George Farmer

This is as good as it gets for the Trojans.

George Farmer is the only five-star recruit in their class according to Rivals. He was ranked No. 3 recruit in the nation, and is the highest ranked recruit in California. 

Farmer's speed is what makes him stand out and will allow him to start playing almost immediately for the Trojans.

Farmer ran his 40 yard dash in 4.4 seconds. Whether as a returner or even as a backup receiver, Farmer will play almost immediately and he will most likely be the prime target for Trojan quarterbacks as his career progresses.

What makes Farmer most remarkable is his strength that comes with his speed. He's hard to bring down and he's a "yards after catch" guy. He is a wonderful addition for the Trojans.

Because of Farmer and Marqise Lee, the Trojans will excel at the receiver position for years to come.