USC junior Jurrell Casey, an All-Pac-10 first team selection, is among the top five defensive linemen in the nation and will not return to USC for his senior season, opting instead to begin his career in the NFL.
When the clock ran down at the end of USC’s win over UCLA in early December, it also marked time running out on the college careers of some of the Trojans’ top talent.
Seniors Ronald Johnson, Allen Bradford, Stanley Havili, Shareece Wright and C.J. Gable, among others, will set their sights toward the NFL, along with juniors Jurrell Casey and Tyron Smith, two big playmakers who plan to enter the draft.
Casey, a 6’1″, 305 lb. defensive tackle, was an All-Pac-10 first team selection for 2010. He was named season MVP for the USC Trojans. Casey had 4.5 sacks and 67 tackles on the year, along with an interception and a fumble recovery, and he is expected to be drafted in the second round.
Smith, a junior offensive tackle, also made the All-Pac-10 first team and received USC’s offensive Lineman of the Year award for his play in 2010. A starter in 12 of 13 games this season, he was also awarded the Morris Trophy, voted on by the Pac-10′s starting defensive linemen. After the UCLA game, Smith told the media he was leaning towards staying for his senior season, but now he hopes to be drafted in the second or third round. Last season’s Morris Trophy winner, former USC left tackle Charles Brown, was selected in the third round of the 2010 NFL draft by the Indianapolis Colts.
Junior Tyron Smith, voted the Morris Trophy winner by his peers, will enter the 2011 NFL Draft.
While Smith and Casey’s accolades and on-field bodies of work are attracting the attention of NFL scouts, some of USC’s other aspiring NFLers will need to perform well at Pro Day, the Senior Bowl, and the NFL Combine to boost their chances for an opportunity to play at the next level.
Bradford’s draft stock took a huge hit because of the limited playing time he saw in the fall. After losing his starting job to junior Marc Tyler before the season, he looked like he might reclaim it before fumbling issues sent him to the bench and to head coach Lane Kiffin’s doghouse. Bradford, who was recognized at USC’s awards banquet for the longest run of the season (76 yards) and as Player of the Game vs. UCLA, redeemed himself in the crosstown rivalry game. He ran for 212 yards and one touchdown and scored on another touchdown through the air in the Trojans’ win over the Bruins, prompting Kiffin to admit Bradford “didn’t make me look very smart for not playing him much.”
Bradford’s top competitor for a starting role this season, Marc Tyler, will return for his senior season. After nearly transferring before the 2010 season, Tyler stayed, won the starting job, and got the majority of the team’s carries this, despite being hampered by a nagging ankle injury towards the end of the season.
Junior Armond Armstead has also announced he’ll play another year at USC, telling the Orange County Register: “I want to get my degree. I want to get better. I want to be a first-round draft pick. I want to be an All-American.” Armstead will likely replace Casey as a defensive starter.
Tyron Smith will be tougher to replace because of the lack of experienced players behind him on the roster. The offensive line could take another hit if OG Michael Reardon decides not to play out his final year of eligibility. Reardon, a senior, has already earned his degree in communications and is waiting to hear if he’s been accepted into USC’s Annenberg School graduate program. If he continues to play football for the Trojans, his scholarship will cover his first year of graduate school, but Reardon is already preparing for his future after football and, after suffering several serious injuries over his career, is debating whether he wants to play another year.
