USC has had a player selected in the first or second round of the NFL draft for 16 straight years, but that streak is expected to end this week.
It's not even clear who will be the first Trojan to come off the board, with the draft kicking off Thursday night.
It could be right tackle Chuma Edoga, who started building buzz at the Senior Bowl back in January, but his draft profile carries a lot of latitude.
Linebacker Cam Smith was steady and heady as a four-year starter for the Trojans, and he noted that teams seemed to be most interested by his football IQ as he went through the NFL Scouting Combine. But what does that mean for his draft slot? That's anybody's guess.
Iman "Biggie" Marshall is coming off a strong senior season at cornerback, but the talk in the pre-draft lead-up was that teams were perhaps more interested in him as a safety. Safety Marvell Tell tested strongly in pre-draft workouts and is yet another projected mid-to-late-round selection.
And then there's outside linebacker Porter Gustin, who was on his way to a huge senior season before being felled by yet another injury. He's had to convince teams through this process that he's not injury-prone. Then, NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported that Gustin failed a PED test at the combine, though it's not clear if it was for Adderall (for which he received an exemption, according to his agent) or something more.
All five of those prospects carry obvious upside, but none are being viewed as sure-fire top-half-of-the-draft picks.
That means Day 3 of the draft Saturday could be very busy for the Trojans, including late-round hopefuls like running back Aca'Cedric Ware and offensive guard Chris Brown.
Surveying the mock drafts
Here's where the latest mock drafts forecast the Trojans landing, for what it's worth:
OT Chuma Edoga
-3rd round, 80th overall to the Cleveland Browns (NFL.com/Chad Reuter)
-3rd round, 93rd overall to the New York Jets (BleacherReport)
-4th round, 118th overall to the Green Bay Packers (CBSSports.com)
-5th round, 153rd overall to the Washington Redskins (DraftTek.com)
-5th round, 154th overall to the Carolina Panthers (WalterFootball.com)
-5th round, 162nd overall to the Chicago Bears (DraftWire.com)
-Not listed (DraftSite.com)
-Ranked No. 73 overall prospect by ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr.
-Ranked No. 123 overall prospect by ESPN's Todd McShay
LB Cam Smith
-3rd round, 94th overall to the Los Angeles Rams (DraftTek.com)
-4th round, 111th overall to the Detroit Lions (WalterFootball.com)
-4th round, 133rd overall to the Los Angeles Rams (DraftSite.com)
-5th round, 144th overall to the Atlanta Falcons (CBSSports.com)
-5th round, 151st overall to the Miami Dolphins (BleacherReport)
-5th round, 155th overall to the Cleveland Browns (NFL.com/Chad Reuter)
-7th round, 234th overall to the Miami Dolphins (DraftWire.com)
-Ranked No. 156 overall prospect by ESPN's Todd McShay
-Raned No. 23 inside linebacker/not in top 300 by ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr.
S Marvell Tell
-4th round, 113th overall to the Seattle Seahawks (CBSSports.com)
-5th round, 142nd overall to the New York Giants (WalterFootball.com)
-5th round, 173rd overall to the Washington Redskins (DraftTek.com)
-6th round, 187th overall to the Carolina Panthers (DraftSite.com)
-6th round, 195th overall to the Houston Texans (BleacherReport)
-6th round, 207th overall to the Pittsburgh Steelers (DraftWire.com)
-Not listed (NFL.com/Chad Reuter)
-Ranked No. 118 overall prospect by ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr.
-Ranked No. 120 overall prospect by ESPN's Todd McShay
CB Iman "Biggie" Marshall
-4th round, 135th overall to the Indianapolis Colts (NFL.com/Chad Reuter)
-5th round, 169th overall to the Los Angeles Rams (BleacherReport)
-6th round, 198th overall to the Cincinnati Bengals (DraftSite.com)
-6th round, 203rd overall to the Los Angeles Rams (DraftWire.com)
-7th round, 251st overall to the Los Angeles Rams (WalterFootball.com)
-Not listed (CBSSports.com, DraftTek.com)
-Ranked No. 112 overall prospect by ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr.
-Ranked No. 199 overall prospect by ESPN's Todd McShay
OLB Porter Gustin
-5th round, 142nd overall to the New York Giants (NFL.com/Chad Reuter)
-6th round, 182nd overall to the Denver Broncos (WalterFootball.com)
-6th round, 194th overall to the Green Bay Packers (DraftTek.com)
-6th round, 198th to the Philadelphia Eagles (CBSSports.com)
-6th round, 213th overall to the Cincinnati Bengals (BleacherReport)
-7th round, 226th overall to the Green Bay Packers (DraftWire.com)
-7th round, 238th overall to the Chicago Beares (DraftSite.com)
-Ranked No. 221 overall prospect by ESPN's Todd McShay
-Ranked No. 31 OLB/not in top 300 overall by ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr.
In their own words ...
We caught up with four of those prospects last month at USC's Pro Day. Here's what they had to say about the feedback they were receiving from NFL scouts and their own expectations.
Also, here is a roundup of how all the Trojans tested in pre-draft workouts.
