Draft-eligible standout LG Alijah Vera-Tucker returning to USC
The last of USC's pending draft-eligible underclassmen has announced his decision for 2020, and it's more good news for the Trojans.
Left guard Alijah Vera-Tucker is returning for his redshirt junior season, he announced via Twitter on Saturday night.
"Recognizing I have yet to reach my academic goals and my athletic potential, I feel that the decision for me at this time is to stay another year at SC," Vera-Tucker wrote.
Vera-Tucker's return is huge for the Trojans, who are losing both of their starting offensive tackles with RT Drew Richmond out of eligibility and LT Austin Jackson declaring for the NFL draft.
Jackson is the only draft-eligible underclassman USC is losing, though. Wide receiver Tyler Vaughns and defensive tackle Jay Tufele announced their plans to return in similar posts on Thursday, and fellow defensive tackle Marlon Tuipulotu is said to be returning, according to his younger brother and Trojans signee Tuli Tuipulotu.
Vera-Tucker was USC's top-graded offensive lineman, per PFF College, scoring a solid 78.4 for the season -- top 10 among offensive guards nationally who played at least 300 snaps -- with an elite 88.6 isolated pass-blocking grade. According to PFF's data, Vera-Tucker allowed no sacks and no QB hits while giving up just 6 QB hurries and drawing 2 penalties all season.
The Trojans have limited offensive line depth and will already be stretched thin to replace Richmond and Jackson, so Vera-Tucker's return was crucial. It remains to be seen how USC will look to fill those voids and which of the Trojans' surplus of guards might be moved outside.