One by one this week, USC's draft-eligible underclassmen deflected questions about their future and any decision left to be made.
Trojans coach Clay Helton has repeatedly cited that his team loses only four starters -- wide receiver Michael Pittman, right tackle Drew Richmond, linebacker John Houston and defensive end Christian Rector -- but several other players could still choose to declare for the NFL Draft.
Junior left tackle Austin Jackson, redshirt junior wide receiver Tyler Vaughns, redshirt sophomore left guard Alijah Vera-Tucker and redshirt sophomore defensive tackles Jay Tufele and Marlon Tuipulotu, to varying degrees, could consider whether it's the right time to jump to the next level.
Jackson is the strongest candidate of that group. The Athletic's Dane Brugler recently reported that Jackson is receiving considerable NFL buzz and quoted an unnamed AFC scout calling him a "blue-chip guy."
Jackson addressed any pending decision Tuesday after practice.
"I've seen it, I get tagged in stuff like that, they'll send it to me. I'm grateful for the recognition, but I don't focus on it too much," he said. "I'm just focusing in on finishing out the season with my team."
Jackson started every game at left tackle for USC and graded out at a solid 74.9 on PFF College's scale (with a very good 80.4 isolated pass-blocking grade). According to their data, he allowed 1 sack, 1 QB hit, 9 QB hurries and was whistled for 5 penalties this season. Jackson said he never considered skipping the Trojans' Holiday Bowl appearance, as some draft prospects do.
"I think I've been able to be more consistent," he said of his junior season. "I haven't really given up much pressures or sacks. I'll have my occasional slip-up in technique, which hurts me, but toward the end of the season I've been better at not letting that one slip-up occur."
If he is contemplating declaring for the draft, he has a chance to boost his stock in the Holiday Bowl as he expects to be matchup up against Iowa defensive end A.J. Epenesa, who is also appearing in the first round of some early mock drafts.
Vera-Tucker, meanwhile, might have been USC's best offensive lineman this season -- he graded out at a 77.9 overall on PFF's scale, an 87.9 in pass-blocking and allowed 0 sacks, 0 QB hits, 6 hurries and drew two penalties. But he isn't garnering the same NFL draft buzz and would seem likely to return and position himself for the 2021 draft.
As for Vaughns, who tallied 68 catches for 858 yards and 6 touchdowns this season entering the bowl game, he too was mum on his future plans.
"I don't have a timeline. I haven't really thought about it. I've just been trying to focus on the rest of this [season] and the Iowa game, trying to really focus on it, finish out and make a decision on what I'm doing," Vaughns said.
Ditto for Tufele, who was USC's only Pac-12 All-Conference First-Team defensive selection. He tallied 38 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks as a wrecking ball in the middle of the defensive line.
"When the time comes for it, I'll know, but my goal right now is to beat Iowa and win the Holiday Bowl. So everything after that will handle itself," Tufele said.
He added that he has not received his draft grade back from the NFL. Helton had said previously that he can file for feedback from the NFL for up to five underclassmen. Tufele said he will take that information into account when it comes.
"It would be [a factor] just to see how it comes out and it grades out. But at the end of the day, I just feel like talking to my family and God I'll know when it's the right time," he said.
And Tuipulotu, his partner on the interior of the defensive line, seemed like he hadn't given any NFL decision much thought. Tufele would seem the more likely of the two to make the jump, but it's also conceivable that both would choose to return.
"I haven't really thought about it. Just trying to focus on this next game we have against Iowa," Tuipulotu said. "They're a pretty good team, so we're just getting ready for them."
