Matt Barkley: USC Star to Announce His Future at Press Conference This Afternoon

USC superstar quarterback and elite NFL prospect Matt Barkley will announce his intentions at a press conference Thursday afternoon, according to the school.

Barkley helped USC to a 10-2 record by throwing for over 3,500 yards and 39 touchdowns during his junior campaign. The team wasn't bowl eligible, which is why the decision will be announced so soon after the regular season concluded.

The Newport Beach, Calif. native has consistently been listed as a first-round pick in mock drafts throughout the season, which has led many to believe the quarterback will forgo his senior season and declare for the 2012 NFL Draft.

Everybody will find out for sure today.

Should Barkley declare, he'll likely enter a fierce battle with fellow junior and Heisman Trophy-winning QB Robert Griffin III from Baylor to be the second quarterback taken after Stanford's Andrew Luck.

Barkley has all the tools scouts look for in a franchise signal-caller. He's deadly accurate, as evidenced by his 69 percent completion rate, and has drastically improved his decision making during his three years with the Trojans.

It's not a guarantee that Barkley will decide to leave USC, however. Peter King of Sports Illustrated has talked with him twice and reports that it's possible he will return to The Coliseum for another season in an attempt to reach a marquee bowl game.

That could be an intriguing option for Barkley because Luck is secure in the top draft spot for this season. Should he return to USC and put up some monster numbers, there's a good chance he could become the top prospect for 2013.

These are all the things Barkley has been weighing for the past couple of weeks. We'll find out what his conclusion is later today.