USC lost both of its starters on the defensive line and is left with a myriad of younger options to take their place. When USC is in nickel and using two down linemen, who would you start on the defensive line? When USC is in a 3-4, who would be your three down linemen?
Here are my picks:
Caleb Tremblay and Brandon Pili in the nickel.
Tremblay, Pili and Marlon Tuipulotu in the 3-4.
IMO, you have to assume that Tremblay is going to be one starter. He's a JuCo guy. Pili has work to do. He's very raw, which we saw last year, but is a high-end athlete who I think will eventually mature into a star on the defensive line. Tuipulotu is my third pick. USC doesn't have a lot of options and I think he's probably the next best one. I am concerned about the fact that he's coming off of back surgery and we don't know how ready he'll be for spring. But I'm not convinced that any of the other younger defensive linemen are any more ready than he'll be, so he's my pick for No. 3.
As for the older defensive linemen, I like Christian Rector better at Porter Gustin's rush end spot. I don't think he's big enough to be on the inside in this defense but perhaps he could excel as a defensive end in a 3-4. I'm not sold on Malik Dorton on the interior either.
Here are my picks:
Caleb Tremblay and Brandon Pili in the nickel.
Tremblay, Pili and Marlon Tuipulotu in the 3-4.
IMO, you have to assume that Tremblay is going to be one starter. He's a JuCo guy. Pili has work to do. He's very raw, which we saw last year, but is a high-end athlete who I think will eventually mature into a star on the defensive line. Tuipulotu is my third pick. USC doesn't have a lot of options and I think he's probably the next best one. I am concerned about the fact that he's coming off of back surgery and we don't know how ready he'll be for spring. But I'm not convinced that any of the other younger defensive linemen are any more ready than he'll be, so he's my pick for No. 3.
As for the older defensive linemen, I like Christian Rector better at Porter Gustin's rush end spot. I don't think he's big enough to be on the inside in this defense but perhaps he could excel as a defensive end in a 3-4. I'm not sold on Malik Dorton on the interior either.
