Recruits Take Notice of USC's Big Day

High school prospects from around the nation sat in their homes glued to their television’s Saturday morning watching the NFL Draft. The young players with big aspirations dreamed of the day they would be shaking the commissioner’s hand as a first round draft pick.

“Just getting that phone call and letting me know that I would be playing in the NFL would be just crazy. It would be a dream come true,” said USC recruit T.J. McDonald.

Mc Donald, like every kid that has put on a helmet, has envisioned the scene over and over but only a select few realize the dream of being a first round pick in the NFL draft.

This year only 31 players from across the nation received the call from an NFL general manager saying ‘Congratulations, you’re our first pick’ and amazingly four of those young men all came from the same school, USC.

The Trojans have long been known as an NFL factory, having 446 players drafted in the school’s illustrious history.

On Saturday the Trojans set a school-record when they had seven players drafted in the first two rounds, and you can be sure that recruits everywhere sat up and took notice of the Trojans big day.

“It was real nice just seeing that those guys are coming from the same place that I am going. All of our goals are to make it to the NFL and play on Sunday with all of America watching you,” said T.J. Mc Donald, one of the top recruits in the 2009 class. “Any school that is going to get me prepared for the next level; of course that’s where I want to go.”

Since becoming the head coach at USC seven years ago, Pete Carroll has had an impressive 42 players drafted. Carroll’s track record of producing NFL talent is something that isn’t lost on USC recruit Morrell Presley.

“He can teach me and probably get me to the next level,” Presley said of Coach Carroll. “I’m just going to listen to him and take in everything he has to offer.”

The Trojans ability to turn out NFL-ready players was one of the main selling points that helped USC land the commitment of Birmingham HS wide receiver Devon Flournoy.

“When I went up there for Junior Day they were explaining that they know how to train us and get us ready for the NFL and that’s putting proof to their words.”

When Flournoy heard that ten Trojans had been drafted he excitedly shouted, “Oh my god, that is insane! Now everybody can see why I want to go there.”