USC’s Alijah Vera-Tucker, Talanoa Hufanga ready to make impact in NFL draft
When Alijah Vera-Tucker declared for the draft the first time, he hadn’t played left tackle since high school. His NFL future seemed assured on the interior, where’d remained for three seasons, starting for one.
But then, in October, the Pac-12 decided to play a COVID-altered season and Vera-Tucker returned for it. USC, desperate to replace departing first-round pick Austin Jackson, decided to move Vera-Tucker, its top lineman, to left tackle.
The move might’ve been made out of necessity. But for Vera-Tucker, who excelled as USC’s left tackle, it seems to have solidified his place in the first round of this week’s NFL draft.
“I really thought it was a very wise decision for him to play this last season,” coach Clay Helton said ahead of USC’s pro day. “He was right always at that first-round, maybe high second-round category prior to the season. Really felt that if he had one more year of starter tape and could really show his athletic ability, to be able to show teams that I’m as athletic as there can be at tackle and can be a premier interior player also, we just thought it upped his value.”
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Most draft experts agree, placing Vera-Tucker somewhere in the mid-to-late first round, even if none seem sure what position NFL teams expect him to play.
Where that uncertainty might’ve once hurt his stock, teams now seem to prefer the versatility. It’s likely Vera-Tucker will be the highest-selected offensive guard in the draft. If he winds up playing guard, that is.
“I think teams are looking at me as a tackle and a guard,” Vera-Tucker said ahead of pro day. “I feel like I’m a very versatile player. I think I proved that throughout my career at USC.”
No USC prospect proved more in six games last season than safety Talanoa Hufanga, who led the conference in interceptions, won Pac-12 defensive player of the year and earned consensus All-America honors. Still, he may wind up waiting until the third day of the draft to hear his name called.
A history of injuries, including two collarbone breaks, a dislocated shoulder, and a concussion, combined with a lack of top-end speed, have apparently made some teams wary. But Hufanga kept a clean bill of health last season while still maintaining his hard-hitting style in the box. Used correctly, his coaches suggest, his instincts will help make up for that speed.
In recent months, he’s trained one-on-one with one of the most instinctive safeties in NFL history, former Trojan and NFL Hall of Famer Troy Polamalu.
USC safeties coach Craig Naivar said he’s fielded several calls from interested NFL teams raving about Hufanga’s ability to break down defenses.
“He’ll translate because he’s what they want,” Naivar said. “He’s multi-faceted. They can put him in the box. They can play him high. They can blitz him off the edge. … I think too much is focused on what round you go in and stuff like that. When he gets somewhere, he’s going to be an impactful guy.”
At least three other Trojans should hear their names called in the middle rounds.
Like Vera-Tucker, wideout Amon-ra St. Brown was expected to declare for the draft if the Pac-12 hadn’t played its season in the fall. Instead, he caught seven touchdowns in six games as USC’s top receiver.
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But that performance didn’t do much to change his draft stock. St. Brown is expected to be selected somewhere between the late second round and the fourth round.
Defensive tackle Jay Tufele opted not to play during the 2020 season, but he could still be picked in a similar range. Marlon Tuipulotu, who took over for Tufele as USC’s top interior defensive lineman, shouldn’t be far behind.
Wideout Tyler Vaughns and cornerback Olaijah Griffin are likely to be available in the late rounds and could find themselves on the outside looking in. But with the draft pool significantly smaller this year than in past years due to COVID-19, both might hear their names called late.
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