Sadly enough, Trojan football is said and done for the year, but fans can get a glimpse at their school's future NFL Draft prospects this Saturday with the Under-Armour Senior Bowl, a venue which showcases the nation’s top seniors with draft stocks at stake.
As is the case year after year, the USC Trojans are well represented in this year’s game, with six players taking part in the week-long marathon in Mobile, Alabama.
Players have flexed their muscle and given NFL Scouts and general managers plenty of information to go on, and here are some of the reviews coming back on USC players participating in the game.
Here are ESPN NFL Draft Analyst Todd McShay’s reviews from the participants this year.
Brian Cushing
• USC's
Brian Cushing is the rare prospect who will fit in any defensive scheme in the NFL. He can play inside or outside in either a 3-4 or 4-3. Very few linebackers have that ability. Where he looked best, though, was over the tight end as a strongside linebacker in the 4-3. His body type, power and aggression lend well to doing battle with opposing tight ends. For a taller linebacker, he gets low and is not a leverage liability. He showed quick hips turning and running with the tight ends. The one area in which he didn't look quite as comfortable was in his read-and-react skills while working in zone coverage. But overall, Cushing's wide skill set drastically reduces his draft-bust factor. If anyone here is a great fit for New England, it's Cushing.
Clay Matthews III
• Cushing's teammate at USC,
Clay Matthews, continues to be extremely impressive. He bends very well and always seems to be in proper football position. His change of direction is abrupt yet smooth. As an edge rusher, he did not lose speed bending the corner and got his shoulder low to the ground, making him very difficult to block. His pad level is consistently exceptional and he is an excellent hit-on-the-rise player who makes contact with the same leg and shoulder when taking on blocks. Matthews is very fundamentally sound but also very athletic. He would be an immediate demon on special teams while learning the linebacker position at the NFL level. At this point, it won't surprise us if the USC trio of Cushing, Matthews and
Rey Maualuga are all off the board in the first 40 picks.
Rey Maualuga
There is no question that the 260-pound Rey Maualuga has the size, burst, athletic ability and attitude NFL teams covet at middle linebacker, but there are concerns about his discipline.
He's shown a tendency to overrun running backs and bite on play action so it's important the he read his keys, fill the correct gaps and take sound pursuit angles this week.
On the flip side, Clemson RB
James Davis had a tough day. USC MLB
Rey Maualuga manhandled him in pass protection drills, and Davis didn't fare much better against the rest of the linebackers.
Fili Moala
“He flashed excellent strength in jolting and tossing an offensive lineman out of the way.”
According to the Sporting News, USC defensive tackle Fili Moala was the "strongest man" at the Senior Bowl workouts Monday.
Moala reportedly "stood out from the rest with his strength, at one point scooping up an offensive lineman and tossing him aside in a pass-rush drill.''
Kyle Moore
USC defensive lineman Kyle Moore… the most under-rated of the Trojans’ prospects in attendance this week. He can play several positions, but will likely be drafted as a defensive end by a team using a 3-4 scheme. It is hard to find quality 5-technique DE’s that has the length, bulk/size and then talent to actually make plays. He can add 10-15 pounds to his frame over time and become a starting caliber player in the right scheme.
Patrick Turner
Despite making the catch of the day, he struggled catching the ball. He looked uncomfortable and fought the ball, leading to a number of drops. He did show surprising quickness and speed.
Other mid-round receivers who have stood out at times this week include Kenny McKinley (South Carolina), Mike Thomas (Arizona) and Patrick Turner (Southern California). McKinley sticks his foot in the ground better than any receiver here, which makes up for a lack of suddenness in the routes.
Thomas made a fantastic one-handed catch out of the slot Wednesday, where the tough 5-8 receiver's home will be at the next level. The tall and smooth Turner exceeded expectations in 2008 and continued the trend this week by looking quicker and more fluid than scouts anticipated.
McShay’s Biggest Risers Biggest risers
1. Boston College DT B.J. Raji
2. Southern Miss TE Shawn Nelson
3. USC linebackers Rey Maualuga, Brian Cushing and Clay Matthews
4. Western Michigan S Louis Delmas
5. California C Alex Mack
The Senior Bowl will air on the NFL Network at 7:00PM EST this Saturday, January 24th.
