This concludes our countdown of USC’s most intriguing players to watch in spring practice. Note: This was a list of guys who have the most to gain and are best positioned to do so.
For each player, we examined the depth chart, back story, outlook, key questions and how their role could swing in spring.
(Ed. note: Trevon Sidney was initially included with the following group but is out for spring after having dual hip surgery. Keyshawn Young, who switched from cornerback to receiver after Week 1 of spring practice, was left off because it isn’t clear what position he’ll play moving forward.)
1. TYLER VAUGHNS, JOSH IMATORBHEBHE & VELUS JONES
Profile: Vaughns (6-2, 180, redshirt freshman); Imatorbhebhe (6-2, 210, redshirt freshman); Jones (6-0, 185, redshirt freshman)
Current pecking order: They are reserves in a crowded but open competition at receiver.
Background: Vaughns, Imatorbhebhe and Jones are three of five receivers from USC’s 2016 signing class. Jones was the first to commit, but the strength of his pledge was always a question since he would be the first Alabama native to play for USC since 1929 (fullback George Dye). Jones remained committed, although he flipped to Oklahoma and then back to USC during a 24-hour span shortly before signing day. The Trojans rarely recruit Jones’ region, so he knew he was a priority. His speed was the biggest reason why. Imatorbhebhe committed to USC just a few weeks after Jones, in May of 2015. It was part of a family initiative to return to Southern California, where older brother Daniel, then a Class of 2015 Florida signee, was born. Daniel transferred soon after. While Daniel has quickly made his mark after having to sit out a year, Josh was the more heralded recruit, his blend of size and speed generating offers from just about every top program in the Power Five conferences. Vaughns committed at the end of the summer before his senior season, making him the fifth receiver to pledge. He was also the most coveted. His polish and overall talent made him wildly productive in high school and one of the top prospects in the country.
Imatorbhebhe (along with Michael Pittman) was the only member of this trio to participate in spring practice last year. While roles beyond JuJu Smith-Schuster were hardly established going into last season, the staff felt confident in what it could get from its veterans and quickly decided to redshirt all of the freshman receivers except for Pittman. That none of the four were pushing for playing time made it an easy call. The real controversy was whether it was necessary to bring in five receivers from one class (six, if you count Young) when there were pressing needs elsewhere on the roster.
Outlook: Once JuJu made it official that he was forgoing his senior year, one of the team’s bigger concerns became who was going to catch passes from USC’s generational talent at quarterback. The loss of senior Darreus Rogers, who had by far his best season in 2016, only compounded the issue. But Rogers’ breakout also speaks to Sam Darnold’s brilliance. Consider: JuJu, Rogers and Deontay Burnett were within 20 percent of each other in receptions (and about 30 percent in yards), a year after JuJu had more than 1,000 yards and twice as many catches as the next closest receiver on the team (with Cody Kessler under center). Over the course of Darnold’s 10 starts, four different receivers led the team in catches and four led in yards. (And none of them were tight end Daniel Imatorbhebhe, whom you figure will head these categories at times this season.) In short, Darnold will find the open guy. The onus is mostly on the receivers to be that guy.
The redshirt freshman receivers began spring practice on equal footing (and not far behind Pittman), in terms of the depth chart. It’s still early, of course, but there have been a couple notable developments. Jones has looked as good as anyone on either side of the ball thus far. He’s blazing past defenders, he’s finishing tough plays and he’s standing out in every drill. It’s earned him more targets and more reps, including some with the first team. Offensive coordinator Tee Martin remarked that Jones is one of the fastest players he’s coached at USC. He’s taken the top off the defense more than once, though we’ll have to see how that translates this fall. If Jones shows he can stretch the field, something USC hasn’t really had on a consistent basis since Marqise Lee’s first two seasons, it could create a domino effect where he plays the slot and Burnett moves outside. Jones is also eager to prove he can return kickoffs and punts.
Vaughns, who’s also gotten a few first-team reps, hasn’t made as much noise but is progressing nonetheless. He runs fluid routes and gets open pretty regularly. At the very least, he’s proving to be reliable. I could see him eventually being used at any of the three receiving spots. Vaughns made a salient point this week about how timing with the quarterbacks is largely built on throwing sessions outside of practice while stressing the need for more of them. He seems to value fundamentals, which should serve him well moving forward. But now would be a good time to see some kind of spark from him. He’s getting enough reps these days to make it happen.
Imatorbhebhe is playing catch up after missing the first week of practice because of ulcerative colitis, which will require dietary changes among other things. He lost 20 pounds but has gained about half of it back. He said he felt fine when we spoke this week and sounded very optimistic about the situation. Imatorbhebhe is physically mature for his age. His game is one predicated on athleticism and using his body to create separation. He’s also really good after the catch. Quarterbacks seem to like throwing to him, although he did struggle last year with catching the ball. He noted that he was putting too much pressure on himself and would get so nervous that he’d lose focus. If he can put it all together and find a comfort zone, he’ll contend for playing time on the outside.
Spring is a really important stretch for all three of them. Burnett’s presence will only grow this season, Jalen Greene is making a full commitment to receiver, Pittman has the advantage of game experience and unique size, Steven Mitchell is the elder statesman who figures to have a role once he returns, Young just threw himself into the fold and two heralded incoming freshmen will join the fray this summer. Moreover, the tight ends are being incorporated into the offense and the passing game more and more. There’s a real window of opportunity for each of these redshirt freshman receivers, but it might not remain open for long.
Key questions:
Vaughns — What parts of his skill set will stand out in comparison to his peers? Can he become more explosive or is he a possession receiver? Will he show signs of becoming the No. 1 target he was originally projected to be?
Imatorbhebhe — Will his health be a lingering issue? Can he tune out distractions and put his best foot forward? How does he stack up with the other outside receivers?
Jones — Is he good enough to force his way into the lineup at the slot position? Can he be the vertical threat USC has been lacking in recent years? Is he the best option for kickoff and/or punt returns?
Swing potential: Vaughns and Imatorbhebhe could elevate themselves as viable contenders to start outside or end up competing for snaps in a deep rotation. Jones can make a run at being the lead slot receiver and a return specialist or carve out lesser roles on offense and special teams.
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17 FOR '17
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