Trojans sign a promising class of new recruits on National Letter of Intent Day
By Ben Malcolmson
USCRipsIt
PeteCarroll.com
Just like Christmas day, USC got quite a few presents Wednesday.
The Trojans officially received letters of intent from several high school players on Signing Day 2008, marking the start of promising USC careers for the prospects from across the state and country.
“We’re really excited about this class,” Coach Pete Carroll said. “The athleticism all around is remarkable and we can’t wait to see how they contribute right away in the fall.”
Here’s a player-by-player breakdown of USC’s Class of 2008 (the newest signees will be added as the day goes on):
Wide receiver
Brice Butler
Norcross, Ga. (Norcross High) • 6-3, 215
The facts: Had 1,186 receiving yards and 15 touchdowns in 2007; father, Bobby, played 12 years with the Atlanta Falcons
Coach Carroll’s Three Things:
1. Butler is a classic receiver and a hard-working technician
2. Has ability to rack up big plays and runs precise routes. “Best route running we’ve seen in years”
3. He’s a disciplined guy you can count on and has hands like Dwayne Jarrett
Wide receivers coach John Morton: “He’s a tall, lanky kid. He has great hands, runs great routes, and is probably the most polished out of everybody. His route-running ability coming in is going to be big.”
D.J. Shoemate
Anaheim (Servite High) • 6-0, 215
The facts: Ran for 1,291 yards and 24 touchdowns and caught 40 passes for 570 yards and four touchdowns in 2007
Coach Carroll’s Three Things:
1. Versatile
2. Excellent ability with the ball in his hands
3. Has unique running back and wide receiver skills, so he can run routes out of the backfield
Wide receivers coach John Morton: “He’s a smaller guy. He’s a guy that has a lot of bursts, a lot of speed, a lot of quickness. We’re going to use him in the slot to create mismatches, so we like him a lot.”
Offensive line
Daniel Campbell
Houston, Texas (Aldine High) • 6-5½, 333
The facts: Made Super Prep’s All-American team in 2007
Coach Carroll’s Three Things:
1. Similar to Deuce Lutui in terms of size and agility: “One of the biggest guys we’ve ever had”
2. Really coordinated and a great athlete
3. Has tremendous potential: “He could be the best big athlete we’ve had”
Offensive line coach Pat Ruel: “Daniel has excellent size but the thing that is most evident is that he has really good feet. He’s a 330-pound-plus guy but has the feet of a 290-pound guy. He has good balance and I like his toughness. We’re excited about him. His best opportunity will be at the guard spot.”
Khaled Holmes
Santa Ana (Mater Dei High) • 6-5, 292
The facts: His brother, Alex, played tight end for USC in 2000-04; Earned several All-American honors in 2007
Coach Carroll’s Three Things:
1. Has a lot of experience and is well-coached
2. His pass-protection technique is ahead of a lot of linemen
3. “Has all the stuff:” Really good body control, good size and can play either guard or tackle
Offensive line coach Pat Ruel: “This is a guy who really, really came on and has made steady improvement every year. He has great technique and has been coached very well. He’s very smart and he’s going to probably pick up stuff fast. I like his toughness, his feet. He’s rated one of the best run blockers in the country, but he’s also going to be one of the best pass blockers too.”
Matt Kalil
Anaheim (Servite High) • 6-6¾, 288
The facts: His brother, Ryan, played for the Trojans in 2003-06; His father, Frank, played center at Arkansas in 1978 and, interestingly enough, was coached by current USC offensive line coach Pat Ruel; Made several All-American teams in 2007
Coach Carroll’s Three Things:
1. Very physical, one of those really tough guys; he’s always wanting to knock somebody down and make big hits
2. Really good body control, especially for his size
3. “I don’t see any reason why he can’t play and contribute and be a factor for us right away”
Offensive line coach Pat Ruel: “Matt runs in a line of other Kalils, he’s got great lineage. He’s going to get an opportunity at tackle. He’s very tall, and has excellent feet. His dad has trained him already. Ryan was far along, and Matt will be father along too. He comes from an athletic family. Everybody in the family has played offensive line. He’s going to be ahead in terms of knowing the game. His technique and footwork are great. He’s going to be ahead because he’s very smart and picks up things very fast.”
Matt Meyer
Stockton, Calif. (Lincoln High) • 6-7½, 292
The facts: Enrolled at USC this spring after graduating a semester early from high school; Earned numerous All-American honors
Coach Carroll’s Three Things:
1. Versatile athlete
2. Great footwork: Runs well, good body control, can pull and get out on perimeter and block on screens
3. High football IQ; he’s already learning by being here a semester early and he’s a really bright guy
Offensive line coach Pat Ruel: “Matt was underneath the radar a bit, but the first thing we noticed was a guy who had big size and could run really well. He has really good size, good lower body power. We see him being a guard. He’s ideally what we’re looking for at guard.”
Tyron Smith
Moreno Valley, Calif. (Rancho Verde High) • 6-5, 272
The facts: Made several All-American teams in 2007; three-year starter on the offensive line
Coach Carroll’s Three Things:
1. Clearly the best athlete we’ve ever recruited on the offensive line, just a phenomenal physical athlete
2. Really light on his feet, great flexibility
3. Has all the natural ability that you could want, there’s nothing to hold him back
Offensive line coach Pat Ruel: “Tyron’s probably the guy of the whole group who looks more like a tight end. He’s got a great physique. He weighs 270 but look like 250. He carries his weight real well. He has probably the best balance and body control of all the guys, but that’s because he’s a little lighter. He’s a great finisher, he really finishes his blocks well. He’s a model left tackle in that he has long arms, can protect the edges and has good balance and body control.”
Tight end
Blake Ayles
Orange (Orange Lutheran High) • 6-4, 235
The facts: Had 51 receptions for 723 yards and eight touchdowns in 2007, on top of eight sacks as a defensive end; Made several All-American squads
Coach Carroll’s Three Things:
1. We’ve seen him for years do everything: Catch, block, play defensive end and rush the passer
2. All-around athlete (he’s a track guy and a state leader in discus)
3. Aggressive and tough: Really attacks downfield and looks to run over and run through guys
Tight ends coach Brennan Carroll: “He’s tall and very tough, which probably sticks out the most in him. He plays with an attitude and has great pass-catching abilities.”
Running back
Curtis McNeal
Los Angeles (Venice High) • 5-6, 178
The facts: Rushed for 1,400 yards, a 10.3-yard average and 19 touchdowns; Also had 278 receiving yards in 2007
Coach Carroll’s Three Things:
1. Dynamic player, scores in every imaginable way
2. A natural athlete and so elusive you can’t keep the ball out of his hands
3. Fits the role of Desmond Reed, a highly versatile tailback
Running backs coach Todd McNair: “He was a very productive player in high school. He makes a lot of plays, is very versatile, and we can do a lot of stuff with him. He’s similar to Desmond [Reed], because he’s small in stature but he plays big. Because of that, he’ll be able to fit right in — we already have a package that’s tailored to his abilities.”
Defensive line
Armond Armstead
Elk Grove, Calif. (Pleasant Grove High) • 6-4, 291
The facts: Recorded 88 tackles and 11 sacks in 2007; Also played basketball and competed for the track and field team in high school
Coach Carroll’s Three Things:
1. All-around natural athlete; a brilliant basketball player and full of raw talent
2. A big motor guy, which you don’t see often from big guys — “just a big force”
3. One of the biggest defensive tackles we’ve had
Defensive line coach Dave Watson: “The biggest thing with Armond is his great potential. He has great feet and a quick twitch. He’s a solid basketball player, which we like to see. He’s got great eye-hand coordination. A guy that’s a big body that we can turn into a specimen with Camp Carlisle and take his 285-pound frame and turn it into something special. He’s a good fit for our defense in terms of being a physical 3-technique, like a Manny Wright.”
Jurrell Casey
Long Beach (Poly High) • 6-1, 282
The facts: Posted 134 tackles, seven sacks and two fumble recoveries in 2007
Coach Carroll’s Three Things:
1. Toughness: Running and hitting and knocking people down all the time
2. Similar to Sedrick Ellis and Mike Patterson: “He’s developed into what we think is one of the most pure nose tackles we’ve brought in”
3. Good feet, good toughness, chases the football and runs all over the place
Defensive line coach Dave Watson: “He’s just a great football player. He has great instincts, a great nose for the ball, played both ways at Long Beach Poly. It will be good to see him just focus on defensive line because he has a great first step, great pad level and has good hand strength. They do a good job with technique at Long Beach Poly, and it helps when guys come in with good technique.”
Wes Horton
Sherman Oaks (Notre Dame High) • 6-4¾, 245
The facts: Had 61 tackles and eight sacks in 2007; His father, Myke, played at UCLA and professionally in the USFL and CFL; His brother, Shane, transferred to USC from UNLV this spring
Coach Carroll’s Three Things:
1. Similar to Lawrence Jackson
2. Great technique
3. Tall and long-armed, both very valuable qualities as a defensive end
Defensive line coach Dave Watson: “Wes is a natural pass-rusher that has an enormous upside. He’s 6-6 and has great potential to be a strong end for us in our defense. With our pass-rush ability, play-action pass ability, we’re really excited for him.”
Malik Jackson
Van Nuys (Birmingham Senior High) • 6-5, 228
The facts: Posted 103 tackles and 14.5 sacks in 2007
Coach Carroll’s Three Things:
1. Great edge rusher because he’s really slippery
2. Has long reach and long arms
3. Similar to former Trojan defensive end Omar Nazel
Defensive line coach Dave Watson: “Malik has a motor that doesn’t quit. He has very a very quick twitch, and we love how hard he plays. Again, just a special athlete that you’re going to love to see him running around. He’s going to be a nice pass-rush guy as well.”
Nick Perry
Detroit (King High) • 6-3, 240
The facts: Had 147 tackles and a state-record 36 sacks in 2007 in addition to catching 14 passes (eight went for touchdowns); Also played basketball in high school
Coach Carroll’s Three Things:
1. Speed: Ran a 4.5 40-yard dash at a recent combine
2. Brings special athleticism to the edge
3. Overall athlete who can be used in various rush schemes
Defensive line coach Dave Watson: “He’s the best guy I’ve seen all year in the country. He played a lot of different spots. He’s a guy who we’re going to need to come in and play right away. I think he can play right away. A legitimate 4.5, great athlete, great instinct, can play linebacker, has played all positions on defense. He has just dominated games. He set the state of Michigan sack record eight games into the season. He’s a great kid, good student, yes-sir, no sir, hardnosed type of kid. He’s as good as it gets.”
Linebacker
Maurice Simmons
Compton (Dominguez High) • 6-0½, 215
The facts: Was named to numerous All-American teams even though he missed most of his senior season with a broken leg; His brother, Melvin, played linebacker at USC in 2002-03
Coach Carroll’s Three Things:
1. Superb athlete
2. A prototypical weakside linebacker
3. Similar to Keith Rivers or Kaluka Maiava: “He looks a lot like those guys when he plays”
Linebackers coach Ken Norton Jr.: ““He comes from a long line of Simmons linebackers. His football IQ is really high. We’re expecting a lot from him. His brothers and his parents have really set the bar high.”
Uona Kaveinga
Lawndale, Calif. (Leuzinger High) • 6-0, 235
The facts: Posted 145 tackles and eight sacks in 2007
Coach Carroll’s Three Things:
1. Tough, physical and very hardnosed
2. Great work ethic
3. Presence and physical nature stand out: “He’s really going to be a force for us”
Linebackers coach Ken Norton Jr.: “Uona is a really powerful young man. He’s fast, he’s strong, he’s mentally tough. He’s the type of guy who’s no doubt going to help us right away. He’s going to cover on kickoffs, on punts, he’s going to step in at linebacker and play all three spots. He has a lot of passion for the game, so he’s honestly one of the better gets we have in this class."
Defensive back
Brian Baucham
Torrance (West High) • 5-11, 192
The facts: Was also a running back and kickoff returner in high school and posted 1,593 rushing yards with 20 touchdowns
Coach Carroll’s Three Things:
1. A big-play type of guy with great hands and speed
2. Has terrific overall cornerback attributes
3. Similar size and shape to Shareece Wright
Secondary coach Rocky Seto: “He’s an excellent all-around player. He’s an explosive play-making guy and really creative with his play making. He has great awareness on the field.”
T.J. Bryant
Tallahassee, Fla. (Lincoln High) • 6-1, 190
The facts: Posted 30 tackles, four interceptions, eight deflections and five fumble recoveries in 2007; Had 15 interceptions in his career
Coach Carroll’s Three Things:
1. A rare player in that he really committed to playing corner in high school, meaning he now has a real understanding of the position and has the technique down
2. Incredible lower body quickness
3. Special overall athlete
Secondary coach Rocky Seto: “T.J. has tremendous deep ball skills. He’s very physical, hitting guys well. He’s a tremendous candidate to help us early.”
Drew McAllister
Danville, Calif. (Monte Vista High) • 6-0½, 197
The facts: Had 51 tackles, 10 deflections and an interception on defense in 2007; As quarterback during his senior season, he threw for 2,222 yards with 16 touchdowns
Coach Carroll’s Three Things:
1. Played quarterback in high school which gives him a unique understanding of the defensive side of the ball
2. One of the best overall athletes in the Bay Area
3. Has great awareness on the field
Secondary coach Rocky Seto: “Drew’s a very physical player. He’s fast, athletic, runs a 10.8 100-meter. He’s just a really tough, physical safety.”
• Ben Malcolmson is the Director of Online Media for USCRipsIt/PeteCarroll.com. You can contact him at Ben@PeteCarroll.com.
