Wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown is the third USC player off the board in the 2021 NFL Draft, going in the fourth round to the Detroit Lions with the 112th overall pick.

St. Brown follows offensive lineman Alijah Vera-Tucker, who was drafted 14th overall Thursday night, and defensive tackle Jay Tufele (first pick of the fourth round).

St. Brown was a steady focal point of USC's passing attack the last three seasons, delivering on his 5-star recruiting stature coming out of nearby Mater Dei HS.

As a true freshman in 2018, he tallied 60 catches for 750 yards and 3 touchdowns. In moving to the Air Raid under offensive coordinator Graham Harrell in 2019, St. Brown increased his numbers to 77 catches for 1,042 yards and 6 TDs (plus 1 TD rushing), despite playing through a sports hernia that would require surgery after the season. And in the shortened 2020 campaign, he put up 41 catches for 478 yards and 7 touchdowns in just six games while working both outside and out of the slot.

St. Brown's 4.51 40-yard dash time from USC's pro day may not have separated him from a deep draft class of receivers, but as a sure-handed playmaker who proved himself over three years as a starter and who also showed himself to be a tireless worker who was usually among the last players to walk off practice field, there's a lot of reason to have confidence he'll make a smooth transition to the NFL level.