USC has the opportunity to have 3 linebackers drafted in the first round. That is something that has never been done before in the NFL.
They come in all shapes and sizes.
Brian Cushing is the classic, blue-collar Jersey guy with the bulging body that personifies his work ethic. Clay Matthews is the late-blooming, self-made former walk-on who is just starting to realize his genetic gifts. Rey Maualuga is the physical freak, a freight train on legs whose soft-spoken persona belies his on-field ferocity.
USC's NFL-bound linebackers are so different ... yet so alike.
They're hyper-competitive. They're intense. They're passionate. They're also expected to join the same exclusive club Saturday as first-round draft picks.
There is no question that Pete Carroll has recruited and develop top talent.
That The Big Three continue to get national attention and along with that USC is primed to have another stellar class enter the NFL. Kaluka Maiava may be getting the short shrift with all the attention that Cush, Rey and Clay are getting but Ken Norton thinks he might be better than all of them.
But in the course of our conversation, Norton dropped an absolute bombshell about the other draft-eligible Trojans ‘backer, Kaluka Maiava, who’s projected to go in the third round.
“Physically, the other guys are more imposing,” Norton said. “But when it comes down to playing football, the entire package, Kaluka could be better than all of them.”
Yes, that’s what Norton said - better than all of them.
Defense continues to be the specialty at USC but the offense aint to shabby either.
So tomorrow we will see the fruits of Pete Carroll's labor...