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.
