USC Adds 4-Star Recruits DE Hunter Echols and OT Alijah Vera-Tucker
Written by Ryan Wright
Twitter: @HogManInLA
To the chagrin of the rest of the Pac-12, USC went on a recruiting run to end the week picking up three-star Florida athlete Juwan Burgess on Wednesday and then added highly prized California recruits Hunter Echols and Alijah Vera-Tucker on Friday.
The future along USC’s offensive line is looking hard to beat with Vera-Tucker joining center Bret Neilon and Andrew Vorhees in the class, both four-star recruits. Vera-Tucker is an athletic lineman who could play tackle or guard at the next level depending on if he continues to grow.
Vera-Tucker had offers from Cal, Oregon, Michigan, Nebraska, Arizona, Illinois, Arizona State, Oregon State, Washington, Texas A&M, Washington State, and UCLA, among others, before committing to the Trojans. Vera-Tucker posted a commitment statement on Twitter reading:
Echols committing to USC was a win-win for Troy flipping the one-time UCLA Bruins commit away from their crosstown rival; decommitted on July 22. They 6’3.5”, 231 pound, end was a beast for Cathedral High School during his junior season coming up with a team leading 79 tackles, 27 tackles for a loss, 17 sacks, 37 quarterback hurries while forcing two fumbles with three fumbles recovered.
College coaches across the country were trying to pull Echols out of the Los Angeles area. USC fought off offers from Clemson, Ole Miss, Nebraska, Alabama, Arkansas, LSU, Miami, Michigan, Oklahoma, Notre Dame, Oregon, and Tennessee for the U.S. Army All-American Bowl invitee. With 30-plus offers, Echols ended his recruitment on Friday posting a simple message on Twitter, “I’m officially committed to The University of Southern California. Fight on.”
The Trojans 2017 recruiting class if far from complete, but is showing signs of being another Top 10 haul at the current rate of committing talent. Of the 13 commits, eight are considered four-star recruits. Recruiting efforts for USC have been a stop and go affair for the fan base. Randal Grimes and Juliano Falaniko committed in April follow by just Daniel Green in May. June was a hot month with Brett Neilon, Andrew Vorhees, C.J. Miller, and Erik Krommenhoek pledging. The trail went quiet until the end of July with Wylan Free getting the momentum started again for USC.
USC Trojans 2017 Recruiting Class (13)
SS C.J. Miller, 6-1, 188, McEachern HS, Powder Springs, GA
CB Wylan Free, 6-1, 165, Lynwood HS, Lynwood, CA
LB Juliano Falaniko, 6-4, 200, Leone, Pago Pago, AS
LB Daniel Green, 6-3, 230, Madison HS, Portland, OR
DE Hunter Echols, 6-3.5, 231, Cathedral HS, Los Angeles, CA
OC Brett Neilon, 6-2, 285, Santa Margarita Catholic HS, Rancho Santa Margarita, CA
OT Alijah Vera-Tucker, 6-4, 291, Bishop O’Dowd HS, Oakland, CA
OT Andrew Vorhees, 6-6, 290, Kingsburg HS, Kingsburg, CA
TE Erik Krommenhoek, 6-5.5, 243, Monte Vista HS, Daville, CA
RB Stephen Carr, 6-0, 180, Summit HS, Fontana, CA
WR Marlon Williams, 6-0, 189, McGill Toolen HS, Mobile, AL
ATH Juwan Burgess, 6-0, 185, Plant HS, Tampa, FL
ATH Randal Grimes, 6-4, 205, Desert Pines HS, Las Vegas, NV
Photo credit: recruitingnewsguru.com; Hunter Echols at Redondo Union High School.