The U.S. Army All-American Bowl teams took a break from practice today so TrojanSports.com took time to evaluate the practice performances of all the USC targets so far. We also gave some insight as to where we would rank each of these prospects in our own personal rankings.

(Note: Penei Sewell and Solomon Tuliaupupu haven’t yet arrived in San Antonio)

JT Daniels

Performance grade: B

TrojanSports.com recruiting rating: Five-star

Daniels had some questionable throws, fumbles, dropped snaps and moments in general during the first two days of Army Bowl practice. But he also had some highlight throws that turned heads. If I was judging his recruiting ranking just based on these two practices, I might rank him as a four-star. He didn’t stand out too much in the group of 2018 quarterbacks and his height and overall size is a concern when trying to project him past the college level. But he’s very accurate and has a nice arm. His performances throughout high school are also so impressive and prove that he’s a bit beyond your average four-star quarterback. USC is getting a special one here, there’s no question. If he was 6-foot-4 or taller, he would definitely be a slam dunk, can’t miss type player. He probably is that guy anyway.

Justin Dedich

Performance grade: A

TrojanSports.com recruiting rating: Rivals100 four-star

Dedich might be the most underrated offensive linemen in the entire country because of his height. And I believe height is an overrated trait for an interior offensive linemen. Dedich stood up to some of the best defensive linemen in the entire country at the first two Army Bowl practices and more than held his own. He proved he belongs against any kind of competition and since he doesn’t play in the Trinity League, it was fair to question what he would do against the best of the best in full pads. Now it’s not fair to question him. It’s also worth noting that he did all of this while battling an illness that he thought was food poisoning. It wasn’t uncommon to see Dedich sprinting to the restroom during the first two days, only to return moments later to smack around opposing defensive linemen. That’s a great trait in a linemen, especially since there are plenty of kids who look for any excuse to miss practices at these All-American games. I believe Dedich projects to be the best linemen USC signs, even if the Trojans land Penei Sewell.

Palaie Gaoteote

Performance grade: Incomplete due to position

TrojanSports.com recruiting rating: Five-star

It’s hard for linebackers to stand out in these practices with such an emphasis on passing the ball. Gaoteote disappeared at times because of this but he did show that he could cover well for such a large linebacker. It’s a little bit of a concern though as we’ve seen Gaoteote disappear in games a bit too often this season. But Bishop Gorman wasn’t the same team as they were last year and opposing teams seemed to scheme around him. During his junior year, that couldn’t happen because Gorman was so loaded. Gaoteote was the best player on that 2016 defense, in my humble opinion. I believe he still has that ability and is a true five-star. I expect him to show that in the actual game.

Talanoa Hufanga

Performance grade: B

TrojanSports.com recruiting rating: Rivals250 four-star

Hufanga is an impressive athlete and shows some decent skills in coverage. But he looks like an undersized linebacker to me and not a big safety. USC might start using him in the defensive backfield but it wouldn’t surprise me if he put on weight and turned into a very solid linebacker. I think the sky is limit for Hufanga at the linebacker position but I believe he’s a project in the defensive backfield. If he gains a bunch of weight, he could be an absolute freak in USC’s front seven and play like a five-star. As a defensive back, I question if he’s a USC-caliber player.

Harold Joiner

Performance grade: B-

TrojanSports.com recruiting rating: Unranked four-star

Joiner is big and physical tailback that has the ability to run routes and catch passes like a receiver. That’s very rare for a tailback with his body type and Joiner regularly impressed during the first two Army Bowl practices because of that. That’s a quality many recent USC tailbacks haven’t had but with that being said, he doesn’t have top end speed. That’s a big deal at the position and he clearly doesn’t have that. If he played for USC, he will be slotted as a big back and I’m not sure he would have the skill set to win the job full time. The Trojans also already have a player committed like that in Markese Stepp. While I believe USC should take two tailbacks in this class, I’m not sure how he fits in with another larger back already committed. Joiner would make much more sense for USC as a take if Mychale Salahuddin was the other back in the class.

Tanner McKee

Performance grade: B

TrojanSports.com ranking: Rivals250 four-star

McKee didn’t jump out to me very much on the field but he did have a few very nice plays. He’s also freakishly tall and long and has a big arm so it seems he could develop into something incredibly special down the line. His release needs to be cleaned up though.

Raymond Scott

Performance grade: Incomplete due to position

TrojanSports.com ranking: Unranked four-star

Scott is an undersized linebacker that showed some very solid coverage skills and athleticism, although he didn’t jump out because of the emphasis on passes in team vs team scenarios. But he reminds me a bit of Hufanga, just slower and less athletic. If he puts on some size, he could be a very nice player for the Trojans.

Amon-Ra St. Brown

Performance grade: A

TrojanSports.com recruiting rating: Five-star

St. Brown was the best player on the field during the Army Bowl practices and he’s usually the best player on the field wherever he is. He’s done nothing but impress since he was the tiny, middle school aged, younger brother of Equanimeous and Osiris. He’s a true five-star talent. That being said, his height is a serious and legitimate concern and has me wondering a bit about how he’ll project to the pro game. But again, because of how he plays, we’ll rank him as a five-star.

Isaac Taylor-Stuart

Performance grade: Incomplete due to a missed practice

TrojanSports.com recruiting ranking: Rivals100 four-star

Taylor-Stuart missed the second Army Bowl practice with an injury but was impressive during the first day of practice. He’s a very unique and high end athlete that doesn’t come around in every class. His size and speed screams future NFL player, which is something you don’t see everyday. That being said, he’s a project at corner and will need to be coached up to reach his full potential. But that potential could be higher than any cornerback on USC’s roster.

Michael Thompson

Performance Grade: A

TrojanSports.com recruiting ranking: Rivals250 four-star

Thompson carries some bad weight and seems slow footed. But he’s a high end athlete that might be a five-star with the right coaches and trainers around him. He has a high ceiling but he needs to dedicate himself if he’s going to thrive in college. Besides those issues, he had a very solid performance and it isn’t hard to imagine him as a force on a college defensive line. He absolutely killed it in the one-on-one sessions despite the fact that he seems a bit out of shape.

What network is it on and what time is it being played today?

QB's

Let us say JT out performs Fink and Sears by the end of Spring and into fall camp. Will Helton feel that Fink or Sears should start in the same manner Max Browne did, when so many who saw practices-including some of the coaches felt Darnold was the guy? Another case of owing someone for loyalty?

OL

I was watching the Georgia OU game and the announcers brought up the vast improvement of O line play the Dawgs had from year one Kirby to year two Kirby. I bring this up because I have bitched to a few friends that while I know nothing about Oline play, it seems to me that the more cohesive the unit plays as one the more apt they are to protect the qb and I for the life of me can't believe we have waited until the end of the last few fall camps before we had a set starting five. We pretty much know who we have right now. Would it not make more sense to have our starting five coming out of spring ball so they can really gel for three weeks before the season starts in the fall???

Chris, I haven't followed recruiting this year like I have in years past. I'm aware that you've said several times over the last year that SC will land an amazing class.

Given our recent enima courtesy of The Ohio State, do you still believe this to be true or in your opinion will the class be a bit less than what you thought earlier in the year?

Also, who of our recruits, in your opinion are the type of recruits that are of the calibur we used to get in the PC era. Are these the type of recruits to lead us back to the top? I'm a bit concerned as I see us brining in a bunch of midgets!

If you look at your write up on the reviews you guys wrote, almost all of them included the words "undersized" given how we have been thrown around like a rag doll in the big games, this concerns me.

Your thoughts?

I just asked someone I trust about Rivals100 DT Michael Thompson and where he's leaning with his college decision.

This person says he believes Missouri is the leader but that USC is probably in second place at this point.

Thompson has already taken official visits to both those schools. He's planning official visits to Alabama and Miami in January. Nebraska is the final team in his top five.

Here's a link to my latest story on Thompson:

https://usc.rivals.com/news/thompson-is-still-impressed-with-usc

Here's a link to Josh Helmholdt's latest article on Thompson:

https://usc.rivals.com/news/rivals100-dt-michael-thompson-has-a-team-in-mind

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by starting a fire at their house?

Top 10 words associated with the ways the Clinton's get out of Scandals

1) Shredding
2) Killing
3) Acid Washing
4) Deleting
5) Smashing
6) Burning
7) Bribing
8) Lying
9) Intimidating
10) Obstructing

Can't believe how easy it was to come up with 10 ways the Clintons have already got out of their scandals.

Can you name others?

My God, you're right Steve, I forgot how much fun these OT threads can be, thanks!

This what i mean by fool's gold -

• Too much emphasis recruiting WR's & TE's.
• No emphasis on OL recruiting outside of the West Coast
• Lack of emphasis on CB recruiting outside of the West Coast
• Missing on Top Prospects (e.g. not counting West Coast)
• Not aggressively trying to spread our recruiting bases in others recruiting hot bed areas (e.g. Louisiana, Georgia, Tennessee, Florida & Texas)
• Slowly allowing others teams to recruit our best talent (e.g. RB Najee Harris #1 Nationally)
• Not urgency on getting A-Grade position coaches in key areas of need (DB,OL,QB & OC)
• I feel like USC recruiting department needs to be more aggressive.
• Need to start handing out scholarships to prospects who have legitimate interest in USC instead of prospect who would never contemplate coming to USC.

Gruden got 100 mil 10 year contract with raiders. Nice bit of change

after the game I was standing in front of Sam’s parents and he’s gone! His dad was having a conversation with another parent and #14 will play his last game for us in December. It was a casual conversation between the two parents but it was clear and real.

Don’t shoot the messenger but we’re going to need find a new quarterback next year.

for the 2020-21 classes in California? I was reading an article on the Cathedral an Young transferring to Mater Dei and to see how many All Americans will be playing in Southern California is ridiculous and ally on the Monarchs roster. Some really nice DB’s with great height. Can’t wait

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I have a very weird sense of humor.

What is the best way for SC to hire coaches, when open slots open up.

1. Try to hire the best coaches around CFB? This would cost big money. I just get the feeling SC doesn’t want to spend the big bucks.

2. Do they go after former SC players like BKU and rumored Carson Palmer? Most of these recruits grew up watching these former players.

3. The best local HS coaches? Seems like this could help in recruiting, not that SC lacks in that category. Seems like this would be the cheapest route.

in his Awards this week that OG isn’t committed to UCLA. What a joke. Doesn’t even bother to look at his bio. Says he’s part of a 5star conversation now but fails to realize hes no longer committed to that ugly school. And he won the award for best coverage corner. We need OG in this class

dick, but It seems there is a 5 to 1 amount of articles written on “another WR / ATH as a high priority for SC”. Where’s da BEEF?

It’s Still mind boggling this is not a priority by this staff.

Anyone know?

Why now? I don't want to out this guy down. I live close to his H.S. so I would definately support a top player from this area going to SC. But I have seen and read some bits here and there about some 4 and 5 star receiver studs are out there. I really like our receivers and I pray we get Amon-Ra but don't tell me you're recruiting these guys and as they go elswhere they say (he wasn't a target) or (blah, blah, blah) we've heard it before. I don't mind if this guy IS the second receiver you want to go with the #1 guy, when you talk about dating this awesome looking girl and that awesome girl and then you show up to the party with another girl that's not quite that awesome, just kinda cute and you keep doing this over and over. People are just gonna stop believing you.
That's what I feel these coaches are doing by making this guy their "top priority". Hope he's as good as they hope.

Any good news on the horizon?

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Percentage wise - what are USC's chances with DT, Michael Thompson?
Sorry if you have stated it before, but just can't keep track of them all.

Thanks.

Can someone tell me why he hasn't been playing? Is it injury related or are they holding him out because of the Federal case.

Couldn't find anything on quick google search.

Thanks