USC a favorite for budding superstar QB

Not a TrojanSports subscriber? Sign up and gain unlimited access to the most in-depth coverage of USC football and recruiting and our premium message board. CLICK HERE

One of the standout quarterbacks at the first day of USC's Rising Stars Camp isn't even in high school yet. But you wouldn't know that Aaron McLaughlin was middle-schooler unless you were told.

That's because McLaughlin is 6-foot-5 and 205-pounds. On top of that, he slings the ball around like a future college star. Colleges across the country have already taken note of McLaughlin's ability. He holds scholarship offers from schools like Indiana, Mississippi, Mississippi State, Missouri, Texas A&M and UCLA.

When asked how a middle school kid ends up with those scholarship offers, the humble McLaughlin points to his respected quarterback coach.

"I can give Steve Clarkson a bunch of my credit," McLaughlin told TrojanSports.com. "He's helped me a lot with exposure. But a lot of it has been just from going into camps and colleges seeing me and offering me. Colleges seeing my film. But I can give a lot of credit to Steve Clarkson, he's been amazing for me."

McLaughlin, who also plays basketball, is continuing his personal quest for scholarship offers. He visited Los Angeles last weekend to camp with both UCLA and USC. He says plans to visit Florida State this week and then Ole Miss and Penn State next month.

But when asked why he wanted to visit USC, McLaughlin made it clear that USC is one of his favorite schools.

"USC is definitely a place I would go," McLaughlin told TrojanSports.com. "It's one of my top schools. I don't really have a favorite but USC is up there for me. It's a place I would go to play for Coach (Clay) Helton."

He also praised USC for its ability to produce high level quarterbacks.

"I think it's quarterback university," McLaughlin said. "They develop the best quarterbacks in the country. And it's Southern California and Coach (Clay) Helton is great."

So while McLaughlin waits on a scholarship offer from USC's staff, he's still willing to consider the school a top option.

"They already are one of my favorite schools just from the interest they've already had in me and the visits I've taken," McLaughlin said. "I've been going there for a while now. It's my third or fourth time camping there. I took a visit last year, I went to a practice, so I've been there a few times."

Despite his persistence visiting the West Coast, it seems Clay Helton will make McLaughlin wait until after the summer before he offers him a scholarship.

"I need to get into high school is what he said," McLaughlin said when asked about a potential scholarship offer from USC. "I think he'll pull the trigger."

When asked why that matters when he's only months away from being in high school, MaLaughlin reveals one of Clay Helton's recruiting rules.

"He said he made a rule that he doesn't offer anyone until they take a high school class," McLaughlin said.

But USC's staff might not wait too long before showing McLaughlin just how interested they are.

"He said call me after my first game," McLaughlin said. "And then hopefully I'll get it then."

"I'm a while away. It's not going to commit for a while. I'm going to take my time and not rush anything. but when I feel ready, I'll commit."

"I'm going to Florida State Thursday, hopefully Ole Miss next month, Penn State next month. I was at UCLA, I did the UCLA camp too after the USC camp. I don't really know other than that."

TROJAN TALK message board | PODCAST | SHOP NOW: DEALS on USC apparel