What Does Palaie Gaoteote’s Commitment Mean for USC Football?

It was Christmas in February on Sunday when the nation’s No. 1 linebacker committed to USC football. What’s Palaie Gaoteote bring to the Trojans?

Whenever the calendar turns to a new recruiting year following Signing Day, you try to find the next highly touted prospects to watch for. Whatever you’d put together, five-star Bishop Gorman linebacker Palaie Gaoteote would make that list.

At 6-foot-2, 230 pounds and growing, he’s the No. 1 recruit in the 247Sports Composite and a want of any major program in the country. Which made it both surprising and earth-shaking when he decided to commit to USC football over the weekend.

Given his demand –he’s the 4th-highest rated linebacker recruit the Trojans have had since 2000– you would have expected him to go deep into the process.

But alas, Gaoteote is a Trojan for now, giving Clay Helton and Clancy Pendergast a defensive anchor to the 2018 class next to quarterback Matt Corral, the nation’s 9th overall recruit.

Gaoteote, sitting at 14th, might even be better. His status at a position of emphasis make him more significant.

There’s no need to inflate his potential based on measurables or his star rating. Just look at his junior year Hudl reel, which is about as impressive as possible.

Unlike Tate Martell’s, it’s not full of Johnny Manziel-esque touchdowns. And in contrast to Fotu Leiato, it’s not a series of NFL Blitz style hits. Gaoteote’s is noteworthy for the advancement of his play.

His pursuit is off the charts. His reads are years ahead of where they should be. His ability to contain as a sure tackle, in addition to balancing coverages and pressures both inside and outside, all provide evidence of a simple reality: He’s a Day 1 starter in the making.

It’s not overly reactionary to suggest he might be the most advanced linebacker recruit the Trojans have ever had in tow when it’s all said and done. Because he’s just a junior. He’s only going to get better.

In a lot of ways, the all-around polish of his game makes Gaoteote akin to a true linebacker version of Su’a Cravens.

It’s not the physical tools and jaw-dropping talent that make him stand out, but what he does with that talent and how easy it is to project his play forward to the next level and beyond.

Which all raises one question: Given his versatility and the ability to play immediately, where does Gaoteote fit into USC’s hypothetical 2018 depth chart?

The answer will come clearer during this upcoming season, and there’s no wrong answer here. The Trojans must replace Michael Hutchings, will await the decisions of Cam Smith and Porter Gustin on whether to enter the 2018 NFL Draft and Gaoteote has the ability to play all four positions in Pendergast’s scheme.

But for now, pencil him in as USC’s next middle inside linebacker. The Mike.

In total, the linebacker corps of the future theoretically could be Oluwole Betiku on the edge, Levi Jones at strongside, Jordan Iosefa at weakside inside and Gaoteote in the middle. Or maybe it’s Connor Murphy, Gaoteote, Houston and Jones.

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After the trials and tribulations of 2016, when both Osa Masina and Don Hill were dismissed from the team, these are all good options to have.

Add in 2018 commits Raymond Scott and Bo Calvert, along with targets Solomon Tuliaupupu and Merlin Robertson, and USC is in the midst of assembling a monster linebacker class.

MORE: Tracking USC’s Current Commitments

But now comes the hard part: holding on until Signing Day.

USC must wrap up, just as Gaoteote.