Commitment Analysis: What USC is getting in 3-star OT commit Ty Buchanan
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While USC fans are quick to bemoan the Trojans' reliance on 3-star offensive line commits in recent recruiting classes, OL coach Tim Drevno has made it clear in past interviews that he trusts his scouting eye and has been proven right enough times to validate his confidence in making his own assessments.
In the case of newest USC offensive tackle commit Ty Buchanan, out of Calallen HS in Corpus Christi, Texas, it's not hard to see why the Trojans are so high on his potential.
The 6-foot-6, 289-pound prospect plays with relentless drive and physicality that pops off his highlight film, and he fits the mold the Trojans prefer with their uptempo offense of athletic offensive linemen.
We take a closer look at what Buchanan's addition means for USC and its 2021 recruiting class, as well as scouting reports from his high school coach and Rivals South Central recruiting analyst Sam Spiegelman, and a look inside the film room.
**Read our full interview with Ty Buchanan about his USC commitment here**
What it means for USC
The Trojans wanted at least four offensive linemen in this 2021 recruiting class. I think they would have taken five if one of them was 4-star Rivals100 prospect Kingsley Suamataia -- meaning they wanted Buchanan regardless -- but once Suamataia chose Oregon over USC in a close recruiting battle last month, Buchanan became even more of a must-get for the staff.
They didn't have any other active leads for guys they prioritized, and extending the search further would have likely meant stretching for a prospect they weren't as sure about.
So landing Buchanan is notable.
He joins 4-star J Serra HS offensive tackle Mason Murphy, 3-star St. John Bosco offensive guard Maximus Gibbs and 3-star Red Mountain HS/Mesa, Ariz. tackle Saia Mapakaitolo (previously of Bishop Alemany HS).
As noted, it will be intriguing to see how Drevno's evaluations and ability to develop offensive linemen ultimately end up relative to the recruiting rankings. But the Trojans meet their goal numbers-wise for this offensive line class with Buchanan's commitment.
With the six 2020 signees plus the four 2021 commits, USC has an intriguing foundation for the future. In theory, they've given themselves 10 shots to hit on enough linemen to fill out a future starting lineup, with the opportunity to continue adding to that pool in the 2022 class.
Also interesting is what will become of the NCAA granting eligibility extensions to players while effectively not counting this 2020 season toward the scholarship clock due to the pandemic. That means the Trojans could potentially continue to retain a corps of veteran offensive linemen like Jalen McKenzie, Brett Neilon, Liam Jimmons, Liam Douglass, Andrew Vorhees and Justin Dedich longer than anticipated, allowing more time to develop this young wave of prospects.
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