Wright Picks NFL Over USC

USC defensive lineman Manuel Wright announced Wednesday that he would leave school because of academic eligibility issues and apply for the NFL’s supplemental draft.

Wright, 21, was among four USC players who missed spring practice to concentrate on classwork. He took his last final Tuesday but did not wait for grades to be posted before deciding to turn pro.

Wright said he spoke with USC Coach Pete Carroll and defensive line coach Jethro Franklin before making his decision.

“They just gave me the pros and cons of the situation,” Wright said during a news conference at Long Beach Poly High, his alma mater. “They were willing for me to come back and redshirt a year if I didn’t pass my academics. But I decided to do this because I sat out a year of football before and I don’t want to do it again.”

Wright, 6 feet 6 and 290 pounds, is eligible for the supplemental draft because he is three years removed from high school graduation. Wright has signed with an agent, making him ineligible to play again in college.

Wright signed a letter of intent with USC in 2002 but did not qualify for admission and attended Long Beach City College as a part-time student. In 2003 and 2004, he played mostly as a reserve. He started two games last season, against Brigham Young and Arizona, but made his biggest plays in the 2004 Rose Bowl against Michigan and last season during USC’s dramatic fourth-quarter defensive stand against California at the Coliseum.

With the departure of senior All-American tackles Shaun Cody and Mike Patterson, Wright was projected as a starter. But his loss was not unexpected by USC coaches.

“Based on Manny’s performance in the classroom, we’ve been prepared for this for a while,” Carroll said in a statement. “We wish him the best, but we’re well prepared to move on. We had a number of players perform really well at the defensive tackle spot this spring and we have some new guys coming in that we’re excited about.”

USC’s depth chart at the end of spring practice listed redshirt sophomore Sedrick Ellis as the starting nose tackle and either senior LaJuan Ramsey, redshirt freshman Fili Moala or redshirt junior Travis Tofi at the other tackle spot.

Wright’s departure, coupled with the uncertain status of cornerback Eric Wright, means the Trojans will enter their Sept. 3 opener at Hawaii without at least seven defensive players who started games last season.

Along with the loss of Cody, Patterson and Manuel Wright, the Trojans also must replace All-American linebackers Matt Grootegoed and Lofa Tatupu and free safety Jason Leach.

Eric Wright, a redshirt sophomore, was suspended from the team in March after he was arrested on suspicion of rape. According to documents, police found 136 Ecstasy pills in Wright’s room in the apartment he shared with a teammate. The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office did not file sex or drug-related charges because of insufficient evidence, but Wright still faces possible disciplinary action -- including suspension or expulsion -- by USC.

An NFL spokesman said a supplemental draft would be held no later than seven days before the start of the first NFL training camp in July. The league is required to notify teams which players have been granted eligibility no later than 10 days before the draft.

The draft is conducted by e-mail. If a team chooses a player, it gives up its pick in the same round in next April’s draft. If a player is not selected in the supplement draft, he becomes a free agent.

USC running back LenDale White, tight end Dominique Byrd and defensive lineman Frostee Rucker, who also were held out of spring practice to focus on academic issues, are expected to be eligible in the fall.