Smith-Schuster leads wide receiver corps

With the departure of wide receiver Nelson Agholor and George Farmer to the NFL, the Trojans’ wide receiver corps will need to step up in order for the Trojans to live up to their pre-season hype. One would think that a program that lost its star receiver would be worried about the upcoming season, but not USC.

Sophomore wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster, a returning star, will fill Agholor’s role as top receiver with ease following his standout freshman season. In his freshman season, Smith-Schuster racked up a total of 54 receptions for 724 yards for five touchdowns. In Smith’s debut against Fresno State, he tallied up 123 receiving yards, setting the first-year freshman record for a season opener. Against Washington State, Smith-Schuster had three touchdown catches to tie the USC freshman record.

Smith-Schuster was a 2014 All-American first teamer, 2015 Biletnikoff Award candidate and in the discussion for All-American honors. Coming off such success as a freshman, it wouldn’t be much of a surprise for Smith to better his performance from his freshman year.

With the immediate impact that Smith-Schuster had on the team as a freshman, he should easily take over the No. 1 receiving spot. Another year of experience means that he could up his game and become the next great receiver from USC.

Not only do the Trojans have Smith-Schuster, but they also have one of the most exciting athletes in college football. Sophomore three-way player Adoree’ Jackson, a returning starter, has explosive speed that can really help the Trojans out on offense. Jackson was a 3-way player on eight games in 2014. He also was a track sensation, winning the long jump in the Pac-12 championships and placing fifth at the NCAAs. Jackson has a type of power and agility that could make USC’s offense unstoppable.

Jackson also returned two kickoffs for touchdowns in 2014. One of the two being the 98-yard touchdown return against Nebraska in the Holiday Bowl. He was a 2014 Freshman All-American first teamer, Pac-12 Defensive Freshman of the Year, and a candidate for the 2015 Heisman, Thorpe and Hornung awards.

Last season, Jackson caught a total of 10 passes for 138 yards and three touchdowns. If Jackson can get more offensive playing time this season, Smith-Schuster and Jackson can become an explosive one-two punch that the Trojans’ offense needs to have a long and successful season.

Junior wide receiver Darreus Rogers could be another piece to the puzzle for the Trojans’ offense. Last season, Rogers caught 21 passes for 245 yards and scored four touchdowns. This could be Rogers’ chance to shine on the football field. He only started three times last year, but if he can prove himself in practices leading up to the start of the season, he would be able to sprinkle in some experience and continue to add success to the Trojans’ young group of wide receivers.

Sophomore wide receiver Steven Mitchell was quite impressive and started to turn heads as one of the stars in 2015 spring drills. Last season, he had seven receptions for 82 yards with two touchdowns. With Mitchell itching for more playing time, he could be expected to be another weapon for USC’s offense.

USC will also have great options from the newest Trojans. At 6-foot-3 and 205 lbs. junior wide receiver Isaac Whitney, from Riverside Community College, has the size and speed to make an immediate impact for the Trojans. As an early enrollee, he has had time to learn and grow comfortable with the Trojans’ offense. He is another option to be paired up with Smith; with the two of them together, expect USC’s offensive to be extremely successful.

Junior wide receiver De’Quan Hampton from Long Beach City College will join the team in the fall. Standing at 6-foot-4, Hampton is a big receiver who can dominate in one-on-one situations. He is just another option in USC’s roster that can give their offense additional options for success.

Along with junior college transfers, USC will have three incoming freshmen in the fall to be used as wideouts — in addition to their other positions. Running back and wide receiver Dominic Davis from Bishop Alemany High, may only be 5-foot-10 and 175 lbs. but his speed could be incredibly helpful to the Trojans’ offense. In 2015, he placed third in California in the 100-meter-dash and fourth in 2014. Two-way player Isaiah Langley from Foothill High stands at 6 feet and 165 lbs. As a senior, he had 33 catches and 12 touchdowns. Both Davis and Langley were Prep All-Americans. The third of USC’s newest freshman wideouts is safety, center back, wide receiver Ykili Ross from Riverside Poly High School. Ykili had 50 catches and 15 touchdowns as a senior. Any one of these freshmen could follow in the footsteps of Smith-Schuster.

Each of the options for receiver for the Trojans’ offense brings his own skills and talents to the plate. Individually, they each shine in their own aspects, but together they could create an incredibly successful offense and continue USC’s history of having some of college football’s best wide receivers.