NFL Draft Rewind: USC's prospects react to draft results

With four players selected in the 2019 NFL Draft this week, USC matched its output from last year.

But for the first time since 2002, the Trojans didn't have any prospects taken in the first two rounds.

It was a quiet start to the draft, with offensive tackle Chuma Edoga the only USC player to get the call over the first two days, landing with the New York Jets near the end of the third round.

Day 3 on Saturday was a bit more active with cornerback Iman "Biggie" Marshall, safety Marvell Tell and linebacker Cam Smith following in the later rounds.

The notable exception was outside linebacker Porter Gustin, who was immensely productive when healthy for USC but had injury concerns to overcome and made headlines this week with a failed test for Adderall at the NFL Scouting Combine despite receiving a temporary Therapeutic Use Exemption from the league, according to the LA Times.

Gustin, an accomplished collegiate pass rusher, will surely be among the USC players who get offered undrafted free agent opportunities to try to earn their way into the league.

Here's a full look at USC's draft results:

OT Chuma Edoga -- pick 28 (92 overall) -- New York Jets

-The Trojans' starting right tackle was a fixture for an inconsistent unit the last couple yars, starting 26 games overall for USC. He helped his draft stock with a strong showing at the Senior Bowl in January and was the first Trojan off the board this week. The Jets traded their seventh-round pick to move up a spot and select Edoga, who reunites with former USC quarterback Sam Darnold.

-Edoga says: “I had a little rocky career at USC, but [the Jets] were really just stressing that you have to turn over a new leaf and create a new you. … Just consistency, being consistent and ready to go at all times. This is professional, this is a job now. You can’t be on and off, up and down. You have to be even keeled the whole way.” (Source: NewYorkJets.com)

CB Iman "Biggie" Marshall -- pick 25 (127 overall) -- Baltimore Ravens

-Marshall put it all together as a senior for USC and graded out as one of the stingiest corners in the country according to the advanced metrics. There was buzz in the pre-draft process that teams were interested in him as a safety, but it looks like the Ravens see his potential at cornerback.

Ravens director of college scouting Joe Hortiz says: "He was just the best player available on our board. I know it's a deep position for us here, but this is a chance to add a quality player. He's big -- almost 6-1, 210 pounds -- runs a 4.45. He's had almost 40 PBUs in his career, 6 INTs -- he knows how to play the position. He can play it many ways -- press coverage, ability to play zone. Really smart, instinctive football player who's played a lot of football, and on top of it he's an outstanding tackler, very physical, aggressive and we think that will project well to [special] teams."

CB Marvell Tell -- pick 6 (144 overall) -- to the Indianapolis Colts

-Tell was a playmaking safety for the Trojans, but he was drafted as a cornerback by the Colts. This was not a total surprise, as like Marshall, there was pre-draft buzz of him flipping positions.

-Tell says: "I played corner in high school. I worked on my cover skills a little bit as a safety in college. So it’s not anything foreign to me at all. I’m a lean safety so a lot of guys were wondering if I could play corner, especially with that new wave of longer corners in the league. So I definitely got that a lot. … Honestly, I had a pretty good feeling about the Colts throughout this process. But they kept in contact with me the most out of any other team.” (Source: Colts.com)

LB Cam Smith -- pick 24 (162) overall -- to the Minnesota Vikings

-Smith, a four-year starter for USC, was one of the most experienced linebackers in the draft and impressed scouts with his football IQ. He was the first defensive player drafted by the Vikings this year.

-Smith says: "I had a feeling in my heart that I could be a Viking because in the last three years at USC we ran the exact same defense and I feel like it will be a perfect fit walking in there. I feel like I wouldn’t have any issues learning the defense. As of right now, I just feel like it was meant to be. …

"I feel like I can do whatever they want me to do to be honest with you. I feel like I have so much more to learn and I can get a lot better and I think that getting there and working with the linebackers coach and some of the veterans there, I just think I can learn a lot. Whatever they need me to do, if it’s play the bigger package and stop the run or even come in and play on third down and do whatever they need. I am really confident in whatever they ask of me. I am just ready to contribute as much as possible." (Source: DailyNorseman.com)