Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

As they gear up for their senior year in Troy, we have been chronicling the whereabouts of USC’s Class of 2010, the first to be molded by Lane Kiffin.

First, we looked at the running backs and wide receivers that came to Troy in 2010. Then, we focused on the tight ends and a quarterback that also joined this bunch.

Now it’s time to turn our attention to the final group of young men that made up the Class of 2010–the defensive players.

Dion Bailey

Bailey came into USC ranked No. 31 at safety, but over the plast two seasons, was one of the most active members of then-defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin’s scheme as an outside linebacker. His thinner, lithe build made him ideal for getting after the agile wide receivers of the Pac-12, en route to 80 tackles, one sack, and a team-best four interceptions in 2012. As a redshirt freshman in 2011, he was named the Pac-12 Freshman Defensive Player of the Year, and made the All-Pac-12 second team. With new defensive coordinator Clancy Pendergast at the helm, Bailey is going to move back to his natural position at safety, as soon as he finishes recovering from shoulder surgery to repair an injury he originally sustained in 2011. How he gets back into the swing of things as a safety is going to be one of the more interesting story lines come the fall.

Hayes Pullard

Pullard was the No. 53-ranked athlete, and it was even thought that he could start at fullback at one point. He would ultimately line up opposite Bailey as the Will linebacker, and as a redshirt freshman in 2011, had 81 tackles and two forced fumbles. He only got better from there: starting in all 13 games in 2012, racking up 107 tackles, one forced fumble and one interception on the season. He too is a ferocious tackler with a penchant for getting into the thick of the action. In 2013 he will line up as an inside linebacker in the 5-2 scheme, and is likely to be one of the defensive captains of the team.

Nickell Robey

Robey stayed true to his commitment to Lane Kiffin and followed him to Southern California when he left Tennessee in January of 2010, bringing with him a most heartbreaking story. Shortly after signing his LOI with USC, Robey’s mother died of heart failure. He since dedicated his collegiate career to her, and it turned into one any mother would be proud of. Robey became the first true freshman cornerback in the post-World War II era to start in a season opener for Troy, and from there became one of the best lock-down corners in the Pac-12. In 2011, Robey had 10 tackles, a deflection and returned a fourth quarter interception 33 yards for a touchdown against Andrew Luck and Stanford that sent the Coliseum into an absolute tizzy. Because his reputation preceded him, Robey didn’t have many opportunities to show is skill set in 2012, as opposing teams opted to throw away from his side of the field. After the season, he declared for the draft and was picked up as an undrafted free agent by the Buffalo Bills. His small size and lack of highlights last season may have worked against him in the draft, but based on his career at USC, Robey has proven that he can hang if given the opportunity.

George Uko

Regarded as the No. 5 defensive tackle in the class of 2010 when he came to USC, Uko has steadily improved each year leading up to this 2013 season. He started in all 13 games last season and had 31 tackles, a deflection, and even a fumble recovery for a touchdown. He returns as a starting interior lineman in 2013 and will be one of the pillars of the defensive line that Orgeron and Pendergast are grooming for the new-look 5-2 defense. He shifts from being a three-technique in the Monte Kiffin 4-3, to playing wider, as far as the five-gap in Clancy Pendergast’s scheme.

Anthony Brown

Brown was to be a go-to cornerback option for USC, and at times, he showed that he is capable of being part of the Trojans’ rotation in the secondary. He started part of 2011 and showed to be a much better tackler than fellow corner Torin Harris, though his coverage was hit or miss. Unfortunately, he went down with a broken ankle that season and didn’t see much action last year. 2013 will be a fresh start for Brown, as he is once again a legitimate contender for the starting job once fall camp arrives.

Demetrius Wright

Wright has been largely overshadowed in his time at USC by Jawanza Starling and T.J. McDonald, but now is his time to earn himself a spot in the starting rotation. He has seen limited time on the field over the past three years, but he has stayed the course at Troy nonetheless. He had a rather impressive spring, which culminated in him grabbing two interceptions in USC’s spring game. He will be competing against some significant talent in Leon McQuay III, as well as veteran Dion Bailey, among others for a starting spot in 2013.

* * * *

In all, 18 young men came to Troy in 2010, and of them, nine remain. Two others left USC early for the NFL, and the remaining six drifted from Troy for a number of reasons. If recruiting has taught us anything, it’s that no matter how exciting a prospect seems, none of it matters until he suits up on game day and leaves no doubt. In 2013, nine Trojans will begin their senior year, and end their quest of doing just that.

Kirby Lee/Image of Sport-USA TODAY Sports

USC saw four Trojans get their names called during this weekend’s 2013 NFL Draft, bringing the total to 480 all-time in school history. The Trojans continue to hold the record for most athletes drafted into the NFL, though this year’s event saw very few Men of Troy get picked.

Somewhat surprisingly, wide receiver Robert Woods was the first Trojan to be summoned into the pros, receiving his call in the second round from the Buffalo Bills. They selected him with the 41st overall pick, and got the ball rolling for USC’s draftees after a slow start. In the third round, safety T.J. McDonald found himself selected by the St. Louis Rams with the 71st pick and all the while USC fans and analysts alike began to wonder why a certain quarterback had yet to be picked up this late in the draft.

Finally, at the beginning of the fourth round and with the 98th pick, Chip Kelly and the Philadelphia Eagles caused quarterback Matt Barkley’s phone to light up, putting an end to the anxiety and speculation. The fourth round was surely not where Barkley saw himself going when he elected to stay at USC for his senior year, but despite the fall from grace, he now has the opportunity to learn a system under Kelly and his current starting quarterback, Michael Vick. This mentorship could really serve Barkley well, allowing him to be properly groomed for a promising pro life that recently has evaded USC quarterbacks.

The last Trojan to be drafted also happened in the fourth round, when the Indianapolis Colts picked up center Khaled Holmes with the 121st overall selection.

Four other Trojans got signed with NFL teams immediately after the draft, the most surprising of which being cornerback Nickell Robey. Though he is slight of size and stature, Robey had a standout career at USC and was thought to be good enough to get selected during one of the NFL Draft’s seven rounds. That ultimately proved not to be the case, but he will join Woods with the Bills this season, as an undrafted free agent. Safety Jawanza Starling signed with the Houston Texans, defensive end Wes Horton with the Carolina Panthers, and running back Curtis McNeal with the Pittsburg Steelers.

Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Nickell Robey, the pride of Frostproof, FL., has found a place in the NFL. The 5-foot-7 cornerback has signed with the Buffalo Bills as an undrafted free agent, just one hour after the conclusion of the 2013 NFL Draft. Robey reunites with Robert Woods, who was taken by Buffalo in the second round.

While at USC, Robey had an interesting career trajectory, as he built an early reputation as a strong cover corner, which forced teams to throw away from him and target the Trojans’ weaker defensive backs at junior in 2012.

In just his fourth career game, he had two interceptions at Washington State, including one of which he returned for a touchdown. In three seasons, Robey totaled seven interceptions, three of which were returned as pick sixes. The most famous one? His loud swipe of Andrew Luck in 2011.

Robey had a lot to overcome in the draft however, as his small stature was an obstacle for many teams. The former Trojan told reporters at the Combine that his height was a detriment to his draft stock, though a 4.53 time in the 40-yard dash didn’t help his original draft projection that saw him in the third or fourth round. What may have helped his size issue however, is that Chicago’s Tim Jennings led the league in interceptions in 2012, despite standing at a mere 5-foot-8.

Going into this week’s draft, Robey was expected to go in the sixth round.