Western 100: Is Trojans' reign cracking?

Regardless of what they may say, University of Southern California football fans knew this day would come. No amount of self-denial could help Trojans fans convince themselves that Pete Carroll wouldn’t one day leave Los Angeles for a new team, a new league, a new challenge.

Rumors and speculation about his departure circulated after almost every season, starting after the Trojans beat Iowa in the 2003 Orange Bowl.

Every year, he was linked to an open NFL job or even a vacant college job. And each year, Carroll dismissed the speculation, stayed put and continued to build USC into a Pacific-10 Conference colossus.

Then earlier this month, when Carroll’s name surfaced as a candidate for the Seattle Seahawks head coaching job, sheer panic spread among the Trojans faithful.

It was bad enough that USC had slogged through a 9-4 season and a fifth-place finish in the Pac-10; now the most successful coach in school history was leaving?

Carroll soon was announced as coach of the Seahawks, meaning USC will go into the 2010 season with someone other than Carroll as its head coach for the first time in 10 years.

USC athletic director Mike Garrett quickly found a replacement. After being spurned by Oregon State’s Mike Riley and NFL coaches Jeff Fisher (Tennessee Titans) and Jack Del Rio (Jacksonville Jaguars), Garrett settled on former Trojans assistant Lane Kiffin, who had just wrapped up his first season as head coach at the University of Tennessee.

With a flurry of criticism from the media, a bit of rioting on the Tennessee campus and a surprising amount of skepticism from USC fans and alumni, Kiffin took over and a new era began in Los Angeles.

The personality of Pete

What will that new era mean for USC? No one is quite certain. Kiffin can’t be expected to replicate Carroll’s success – 97-19 record, two national championships, seven straight BCS bowl appearances – at USC.

But success will be expected – immediately. It must start with recruiting, because recruiting is the foundation that elevated USC to the college football elite.

Carroll and his USC staff – which included Kiffin from 2001 to 2006 – set a new standard. The Trojans were always going to get good recruits, based on their proximity to a talent-rich area and their tradition. But under Carroll, USC took it a step further.

“The school really sells itself to a large degree, but he really took it to a whole different level, said Greg Biggins of ESPN.com. “He was able to do something nobody had done before. After getting 90 to 95 percent of the top guys in California, he would go out of state lock up their best player. Every year he would get two or three national guys that everybody wanted.”

It wasn’t enough for Carroll to sign Reggie Bush and Matt Leinart. He went to Tennessee and got Patrick Turner, to Florida for Keith Rivers, to New Jersey for Brian Cushing.

Carroll’s enthusiasm for the recruiting process was critical.

“A lot of coaches view recruiting as a necessary evil,” Biggins said. “But Pete loved it. He loved the competitive aspect of it. He loved going into the houses and meeting parents.”

It wasn’t phony, either.

“I remember him telling me how much he enjoyed the whole recruiting process,” Oaks Christian (Calif.) head coach Bill Redell said. “You could really see it.”

Recruits gravitated to Carroll’s charisma and his passion.

“Pete could talk hungry dogs off a meat truck,” said Allen Wallace, founder and publisher of SuperPrep magazine. “

Just ask All-American safety Taylor Mays. A few years back he was asked what sold him on USC over other programs, including the University of Washington.

“The difference was just Coach Carroll’s enthusiasm and how loud and wild he is all the time,” Mays said. “I felt like I related to that better.”

Lakes defensive tackle Sione Potoa’e was firm on in his decision to go to Washington next fall. But when Carroll came calling, he couldn’t help but be enchanted.

“He’s just laid-back and chill,” Potoa’e said. “I thought of college coaches as very strict, but he was really into it with the players. He moves around. He’s very interactive with his players.”

Potoa’e’s parents – the main reason he chose UW – still found themselves intrigued by Carroll.

“They loved him,” Potoa’e said.

Wallace summed it up best.

“Pete is the kind of guy where I could turn myself off and say I’m not going to buy into this, and if I listen to him for 15 minutes and he gets going, I find myself believing him,” Wallace said. “There are just not that many people that have that quality.”

No chance to repeat Pete

In terms of charisma, Kiffin can’t match Carroll, and he would be foolish to try.

While Carroll has an every man quality, Kiffin can seem aloof. Yet he has the same intensity and passion for the game. It just manifests in different ways.

“Lane is a high-energy guy,” Biggins said. “He might not have the charisma that Pete does. But he’s a tireless worker and a good recruiter.”

And Kiffin was a major factor in Carroll’s recruiting success.

“He’s one of the best recruiters USC has ever had,” Wallace said. “Lane is a great evaluator of talent. He’s extremely confident and he believes he go can anywhere and win the battle.”

And then there’s Ed Orgeron.

Another former Trojans assistant, Orgeron returns with Kiffin to USC. He was USC’s recruiting coordinator in 2001 and he was a key cog in the Trojans machine.

With a gravelly voice, Cajun accent and outgoing personality, Orgeron is considered one of the best recruiters in the country.

“Ed is probably the best I’ve ever seen,” Biggins said. “If you talk to him for one minute, you just fall in love with the guy. He’s the most outgoing and gregarious guy.”

Wallace calls him a chicken gumbo guy.

“You’ll be talking to him and the next thing you know, he is offering to make you chicken gumbo,” Wallace said. “He never forgets a name or a face.”

But it isn’t all personality. Orgeron is great talent evaluator, and he’s the guy who sold a skeptical Carroll on Mike Patterson.

At 6 feet tall and close to 300 pounds, Patterson wasn’t the prototypical USC defensive lineman, but Orgeron was adamant he could play.

And then?

Patterson left USC as a three-year starter, an All-American at nose tackle and a member of a national championship team.

Now what?

Carroll’s departure has given the rest of the Pac-10 renewed reason for optimism.

“This is the time for schools to feel like they can make a move on USC,” Wallace said. “There’s blood in the water.”

UCLA, under Rick Neuheisel, had already narrowed the recruiting gap last year.

“I guarantee, if you paid any kind of attention to what’s going on in college football this last week, you can see the landscape is slightly shifting,” Neuheisel told fans at a USC-UCLA basketball game on Jan. 16.

“We respect what USC has done the last few years,” Neuheisel told the media later. “But there’s change now. Until the new regime proves itself, we believe we have every right to claim this city.”

While Carroll’s departure sent shock waves through L.A. and Kiffin’s hire stirred up controversy, USC’s incoming recruits found themselves in purgatory.

Kiffin’s first job was to solidify those recruits. Some of Carroll’s 14 verbal commitments, including receiver Kyle Prater of Proviso East High School in Illinois and running back Dillon Baxter of Mission Bay High School in San Diego, were beginning to waver.

“Anytime there is a coaching change, the vultures start circling to see if they can get those guys,” said Rick Kimbrel of Rivals.com. “Especially guys as talented as USC was recruiting.”

But Kiffin secured those commitments and now is making a late push to bolster the class, going after the likes of Seantrel Henderson of Minneapolis – the nation’s top offensive line prospect.

Could Kiffin get his first victory on Wednesday’s national signing day? We’ll soon see.

The larger question, though, is whether he can forestall a decline and perpetuate the dominance Carroll built at USC.

“It’s going to be an interesting next couple of years,” Kimbrel said.

THE NEWS TRIBUNE'S 23RD ANNUAL WESTERN 100

Top high school football recruits from Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Western Canada, as selected by The News Tribune after polling college coaches and various media outlets.

QUARTERBACKS

Bryan Bennett, 6-3, 185, Encino, Calif. (Crespi)
Committed to: Oregon

Connor Halliday, 6-4, 186, Spokane (Ferris)
Committed to: Washington State

Jake Heaps, 6-2, 205, Sammamish (Skyline)
Committed to: Brigham Young

Austin Hinder, 6-5, 185, Steamboat Springs, Colo.
Committed to: California

Dallas Lloyd, 6-3, 195, Pleasant Grove, Utah
Committed to: Stanford

Sean Mannion, 6-5, 205, Pleasanton, Calif. (Foothill)
Committed to: Oregon State.

Nick Montana, 6-1, 180, Westlake Village, Calif. (Oaks Christian)
Committed to: Washington

Brett Nottingham, 6-4, 210, Danville, Calif. (Monte Vista)
Committed to: Stanford

Chase Rettig, 6-3, 205, San Clemente, Calif.
Committed to: Boston College

Jesse Scroggins, 6-2, 195, Lakewood, Calif.
Committed to: Southern California

Peter Thomas, 6-5, 200, El Cajon, Calif. (Valhalla)
Committed to: Colorado State

Scouting report: Heaps’ performance at the U.S. Army All-American Bowl spurred many to believe that he has the tools to step in and start as a freshman at BYU. SuperPrep tabbed Heaps as the third-best signal-caller in the country. As a senior, he completed 213 of 352 passes for 3,191 yards, 45 touchdowns and seven interceptions, leading Skyline to its third straight state title. Heaps was the only player from Washington named to the Parade All-American team and one of six players from the West on USA Today’s All-American team. ... Washington-commit Montana was not listed among SuperPrep’s top 24 quarterbacks in the nation, but received scholarship offers from Alabama, Ohio State and others. ... Spokane’s Halliday opened eyes up and down the West Coast when he torched Esperanza (Calif.) High for 420 yards and five touchdowns. Arizona State and Cal showed interest, but he had already committed to Washington State. ... Strong-armed Scroggins toyed with committing to Washington, but ultimately choose Southern California, which is close to his home.

WIDE RECEIVERS

Tevin Carter, 6-3, 180, Los Angeles (Santee)
Committed to: California

Keanon Lowe, 5-10, 170, Portland (Jesuit)
Committed to: Oregon

Anthony Jefferson, 6-2, 190, Los Angeles (Cathedral)
Considering: Oregon, UCLA, Arizona

Paul Richardson, 6-1, 175, Gardena, Calif. (Junipero Serra)
Committed to: UCLA

Kenneth Scott, 6-3, 195, Ontario, Calif. (Colony)
Committed to: Utah

Tyler Slavin, 6-3, 185, Corona, Calif. (Roosevelt)
Committed to: Arizona

Kevin Smith, 6-4, 195, Compton, Calif. (Centennial)
Committed to: Washington

Kenny Stills, 6-1, 180, Encinitas, Calif. (Costa Canyon)
Committed to: Oklahoma

Robert Woods, 6-1, 170, Gardena, Calif. (Junipero Serra)
Committed to: Southern California

Scouting report: Two players – Woods and Stills – stand head-and-shoulders above the rest of this group. Woods, the top-rated offensive player from California, according to SuperPrep, is the gem of this receiving class. The USA Today All-American runs a 4.40 40-yard dash and has a 33-inch vertical leap. ... Stills had offers from nearly every major program – he took official visits to Florida, Michigan and Tennessee before committing to Oklahoma. He has the frame and speed (4.36 in the 40) to become an elite receiver. ... Richardson is following his father (Paul Sr.) in playing at UCLA. ... Jefferson prefers to play receiver, but some schools want him as a defensive back. ... Washington had verbal commitments from Lowe and Carter, but both turned elsewhere. Lowe changed his commitment to Oregon last week. He likely will play receiver, but could play running back or in the secondary. Carter “softened” his allegiance to the Huskies in the summer before selecting California in the fall.

RUNNING BACKS

Dillon Baxter, 6-0, 205, San Diego (Mission Bay)
Committed to: Southern California

Brennan Clay, 6-0, 190, San Diego (Scripps Ranch)
Committed to: Oklahoma

Deontae Cooper, 5-11, 175, Perris, Calif. (Citrus Hill)
Committed to: Washington

Zach Fogerson, 6-2, 215, Seattle (O’Dea)
Committed to: Washington

Jordon James, 5-11, 190, Corona, Calif.
Committed to: UCLA

Malcolm Jones, 6-0, 210, Westlake Village, Calif. (Oaks Christian)
Committed to: UCLA

Mister Jones, 6-2, 205, Littleton, Colo.
Committed to: Texas A&M

Deantre Lewis, 5-11, 185, Norco, Calif.
Committed to: Arizona State.

D.J. Morgan, 5-11, 175, Woodland Hills, Calif. (Taft)
Committed to: Southern California

Cameron Robinson, 6-1, 215, Newbury Park, Calif.
Committed to: Notre Dame

Anthony Wilkerson, 6-1, 205, Tustin, Calif.
Committed to: Stanford

Scouting report: Clay has the kind of breakaway speed that makes college coaches drool. He is a game-changer in the mold of another San Diego native – Reggie Bush – and as a junior Clay eclipsed 1,000 yards rushing and receiving. However, his ability to run between the tackles has been questioned. ... Jones was named the Gatorade National Player of the Year and might be the most complete running back in the West. He possesses a blend of power and speed. ... Baxter ran the Wildcat offense to perfection in the fall. He rushed for 2,974 yards and 50 touchdowns and threw for 1,922 yards and 25 touchdowns. Baxter, the U.S. Army Player of the Year, has already enrolled at Southern California. ... Fogerson had an injury-riddled senior season at O’Dea but still garnered offers from Michigan, Nebraska, North Carolina and others. Fogerson could end up blocking for older brother Johri, a tailback at Washington. ... Morgan, who gave a verbal commitment to Southern California over Florida as a sophomore, suffered a torn ACL in his final game of the season. ... There’s plenty of top-tier talent in this class, but it lacks depth.

LINEBACKERS

V.J. Fehoko, 5-11, 215, Honolulu (Farrington)
Considering: Utah, Utah State, Washington, Hawaii

Alani Fua, 6-4, 200, Westlake Village, Calif. (Oaks Christian)
Committed to: Brigham Young

Hayes Pullard III, 6-2, 220, Los Angeles (Crenshaw)
Considering: UCLA, Southern California, Arizona State, Washington

Josh Shirley, 6-2, 225, Fontana, Calif. (Kaiser)
Considering: Southern California, Arizona, Miami, Washington

Zac Stout, 6-2, 220, Westlake Village, Calif. (Oaks Christian)
Committed to: Brigham Young

Cecil Whiteside, 6-3, 205, Newport Beach, Calif. (Newport Harbor)
Committed to: California

Dave Wilkerson, 6-3, 240, Danville, Calif. (Monte Vista)
Committed to: California

Chris Young, 6-1, 220, Auburn
Committed to: Washington

Jordan Zumwalt, 6-4, 220, Huntington Beach, Calif. (Edison)
Committed to: Stanford

Scouting report: Although short on depth, this year’s linebacker pool is formidable. Shirley, once thought to be a lock at USC with former coach Pete Carroll, has since opened up his recruiting to others. He’s the best outside linebacker of the bunch. ... Another good one is Pullard, arguably the top prospect in Los Angeles who had developed a great relationship with Trojans linebackers coach Ken Norton before he went with Carroll to the NFL in Seattle. ... Whiteside and Wilkerson should form a nice pair of inside linebackers for the Bears. Whiteside has also expressed interest in joining the Cal track and field team as a discus thrower. ... Stout (June) and Fua (August) were summer commitments to BYU. Fua could eventually grow into a defensive end.

OFFENSIVE LINEMEN

Dillon Bonnell, 6-4, 275, Highlands Ranch, Colo. (Thunder Ridge)
Committed to: Stanford

Alex Crosthwaite, 6-5, 290, San Diego (Cathedral Catholic)
Committed to: California

Giovanni di Poalo, 6-4, 250, Ventura, Calif. (St. Bonaventure)
Committed to: Southern California

Micah Hatchie, 6-5, 270, Waialua, Hawaii
Committed to: Washington

Kody Innes, 6-4, 280, Scottsdale, Ariz. (Saguaro)
Committed to: UCLA

Tuni Kanuch, 6-1, 285, South Jordan, Utah (Bingham)
Committed to: Brigham Young

Erik Kohler, 6-5, 265, Westlake Village, Calif. (Oaks Christian)
Committed to: Washington

Manu Mulitalo, 6-4, 305, West Valley City, Utah (Granger)
Committed to: Brigham Young

Colin Porter, 6-5, 300, Bothell
Committed to: Washington

Ben Riva, 6-6, 275, Seattle (O’Dea)
Committed to: Washington

Nick Rowland, 6-4, 295, Peoria, Ariz. (Centennial)
Committed to: Oregon

Graham Rowley, 6-4, 280, Waialua, Hawaii
Committed to: Brigham Young

Chris Ward, 6-4, 285, Santa Ana, Calif. (Mater Dei)
Committed to: UCLA

Scouting report: The University of Washington nearly cornered the market on offensive linemen from the West, picking up four of the 14 listed. The Huskies got commitments from the top two in-state O-line prospects in Porter and Riva. Porter rates higher with most recruiting services, but at least one recruiting coordinator at a Pac-10 school believes Riva has a higher ceiling and can make an impact sooner. ... Kohler, who is UW-bound, is California’s highest-rated offensive lineman. ... The Huskies renewed their island connection by getting Hatchie, Hawaii’s top prospect. Hatchie can play guard or tackle, but projects to play right tackle. ... Rowland is the West’s top prospect at offensive line. He’s a big guard with great technique and good foot speed. ... Brigham Young University won’t be hurting for offensive linemen, picking up three steamrollers in Kanuch, Mulitalo and Rowley.

TIGHT ENDS

Asante Cleveland, 6-5, 235, sacramento (christian brothers)
Committed to: Washington State

Aaron Dunn, 6-6, 235, Spokane (Mead)
Committed to: Washington State

Josh Fulton, 6-4, 230, Phoenix (St. Mary’s)
Committed to: Arizona State

Xavier Grimble, 6-5, 245, Las Vegas (Bishop Gorman)
Committed to: Southern California

Kyle Slavin, 6-5, 240, Littleton, Colo. (Chatfield)
Committed to: Colorado

Randall Telfer, 6-4, 217, Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.
Committed to: Southern California

Christian Thomas, 6-3, 235, Palmdale, Calif. (Highland)
Considering: Southern California, Miami, Oregon, Oregon State

Scouting report: Grimble leads a deep and talented class of tight ends. The Las Vegas product is a complete tight end – he can block like a lineman and catch passes like a receiver – and is regarded by many to be the top player at his position. Grimble, who is comparable to Gig Harbor junior Austin Seferian-Jenkins, chose Southern California over Oklahoma, Florida and UCLA. ... Dunn has the distinction of making the earliest verbal commitment in Washington State history, telling the Cougars in July 2008 that he wanted to play in Pullman. Dunn, who will have the opportunity to start as a freshman, has the tools and frame to become an elite tight end.

DEFENSIVE LINEMEN

Ricky Heimuli, 6-4, 285, Salt Lake City (Brighton)
Considering: Oregon, Southern California, UCLA, Utah, Washington

Hauoli Jamora, 6-2, 230, Kahuku, Hawaii
Committed to: Washington

Bronson Kaufusi, 6-8, 240, Provo, Utah (Timpview)
Committed to: Brigham Young

Gabe King, 6-6, 255, Eugene, Ore. (South Eugene)
Considering: Southern California, California, Oregon, North Carolina

Cassius Marsh, 6-4, 290, Westlake Village, Calif. (Oaks Christian)
Committed to: UCLA

Chris Martin, 6-5, 245, Aurora, Colo. (Grandview)
Committed to: California

Thomas Molesi, 6-3, 260, Oceanside, Calif.
Committed to: Oregon State

Odighizuwa Owamagbe, 6-3, 240, Portland (David Douglas)
Considering: Nebraska, UCLA, Oregon State

Sione Potoa’e, 6-3, 265, Lakewood (Lakes)
Committed to: Washington

Ronald Powell, 6-4, 250, Moreno Valley, Calif. (Rancho Verde)
Committed to: Florida

Kona Schwenke, 6-4, 220, Kahuku, Hawaii
Committed to: Brigham Young

Kirifi Taula, 6-4, 275, Anaheim, Calif. (Servite)
Committed to: Arizona

Alex Turner, 6-1, 250, Las Vegas (Bishop Gorman)
Committed to: Stanford

George Uko, 6-4, 285, Chino, Calif. (Don Lugo)
Committed to: Southern California

Scouting report: Deep, highly talented group with a good blend of blue-chip defensive ends (Kaufusi, Martin, Owamagbe, Powell) and defensive tackles (Heimuli, Marsh, Potoa’e, Uko). Powell is the consensus No. 1 recruit in the country by Rivals.com and ESPN.com. He’s so athletic, he could play a number of positions, including linebacker and tight end – and showed that at the U.S. Army All-American Bowl when he caught a touchdown pass, forced a turnover and returned a blocked PAT in earning the game’s most valuable player honors. He’d be one primary reason Gators coach Urban Meyer would return early from hiatus. ... Nobody in this position group’s stock has soared higher in the past few months than Owamagbe, who is likely going to choose Nebraska but won’t announce until Wednesday. ... Marsh originally gave a verbal commitment to Louisiana State, but chose the Bruins in late January.

SPECIAL TEAMS

Matt Darr, 6-2, 210, Bakersfield, Calif. (Frontier)
Considering: Southern California, Texas, Arizona State, Fresno State

Alex Garoutte, 6-1, 185, Phoenix (Brophy Prep)
Committed to: Arizona State

Trevor Romaine, 6-0, 185, Corona, Calif. (Centennial)
Committed to: Oregon State

Kip Smith, 6-1, 200, Broomfield, Colo. (Legacy)
Committed to: UCLA

Scouting report: Much like what Thomas Weber was doing at Arizona State, Smith could be the Bruins’ double kicking threat sometime in the near future, especially after UCLA’s Kai Forbath graduates in 2011. Smith finished second at the Kohl’s National Scholarship Camp in punting. ... Darr has long been the nation’s top-ranked punter, but after committing to USC last fall, he said in early January he’s opened his recruiting back up to include Texas, Arizona State and hometown Fresno State. ... Romaine set the California career state record for total points (280), and has been longtime friends with former Oregon State star Alexis Serna.

DEVENSIVE BACKS

Chris Badger, 6-1, 195, Provo, Utah (Timpview)
Committed to: Notre Dame

Dion Bailey, 6-1, 190, Lakewood, Calif.
Committed to: Southern California

Devon Carrington, 6-1, 180, Chandler, Ariz. (Hamilton)
Committed to: Stanford

Erick Dargan, 6-1, 200, Pittsburg, Calif.
Considering: Oregon, Washington State

Jeremy Oane, 5-10, 175, Honolulu (Punahou)
Considering: Washington, Notre Dame, Boise State

Tony Jefferson, 6-0, 195, Chula Vista, Calif. (Eastlake)
Committed to: Oklahoma

Tevin McDonald, 5-11, 180, Fresno, Calif. (Edison)
Committed to: UCLA

Sean Parker, 6-0, 190, Harbor City, Calif. (Narbonne)
Considering: Southern California, Michigan, Washington

Shaquille Richardson, 6-0, 175, Los Alamitos, Calif.
Committed to: UCLA

Dietrich Riley, 6-1, 195, La Canada, Calif. (St. Francis)
Considering: UCLA, Notre Dame, Louisiana State, Southern California

Joshua Shaw, 6-2, 185, Palmdale, Calif.
Committed to: Florida

Demetrius Wright Jr., 6-2, 185, Corona, Calif.
Committed to: Southern California

Scouting report: Deep class with no real headliner, but still with a few names you might be hearing from very soon. Yes, the Big Ten is alive and moving into West territory. Michigan, which has made a late push nationally on two other safeties, was thought to be the favorite for the talented Parker. But at the U.S. Army All-American Bowl, California’s top defensive back delayed his announcement to signing day. He’s had nearly 30 scholarship offers. ... The Gators came into California and nabbed the state’s best defensive end (Powell) and cornerback, Shaw, who visited the campus twice in the fall. He also played quarterback at Palmdale High. With his frame, he could grow into a college safety. ... Jefferson was one of three San Diego-area recruits to give the nod to Oklahoma, and has already enrolled in classes in Norman. It’s the first time in more than a decade the Sooners have hit on a “Golden State” recruiting trifecta.

ATHLETES

Ramon Abreu, 5-10, 180, Tempe, Ariz. (Marcos De Niza)
Committed to: Arizona State

Anthony Barr, 6-4, 225, Los Angeles (Loyola)
Committed to: UCLA

Anthony Brown, 5-11, 185, Fontana, Calif. (Kaiser)
Committed to: Southern California

Marquis Flowers, 6-2, 195, Goodyear, Ariz. (Millennium)
Committed to: Arizona

Jourdan Grandon, 5-11, 180, Avondale, Calif. (Westview)
Committed to: Arizona

Matt Miller, 6-4, 215, Helena, Mont. (Capital)
Committed to: Boise State

Keanu Nelson, 5-11, 180, Tucson, Ariz. (Sabino)
Committed to: Stanford

Ricky Seale, 5-10, 185, Escondido, Calif.
Considering: Stanford, San Diego State

Taz Stevenson, 6-2, 190, Mililani, Hawaii
Committed to: Washington

Curtis White, 6-5, 240, Eugene, Ore. (Sheldon)
Committed to: Oregon

Scouting report: Much of Arizona’s best recent homegrown talent (Everson Griffen, Devon Kennard, Kris O’Dowd) has gone on to USC. Even when a guy such as Vontaze Burfict stayed home, he went to Arizona State. That’s why folks in Tucson celebrated when Flowers – the 2009 high school player of the year – donned a Wildcats hat at the U.S. Army All-American Bowl. He’ll play safety or outside linebacker. ... Most pundits see White as a tight end because of his soft hands. ... Barr missed most of his senior season with a broken ankle, but that didn’t stop UCLA from nabbing him over early favorite Notre Dame. He wants to play running back, but most likely will be a safety. ... Miller is Montana’s best all-around athlete since fellow Capital High alum Greg Carothers (1998, UW). He’ll likely play receiver for the Broncos.

CAPSULES BY TODD MILLES AND DOUG PACEY/Staff writers