Sixth Grade Recruits on the Rise and More USC Football News

Can’t get enough USC football? We’ve got your morning dose of all the best content from around the web concerning the men of Troy.

1st & 10:

1st Take… Has Rivals gone too far?

This week the recruiting website began tracking two sixth grade prospects after impressive showings from the youngsters at a Boston football camp.

More from Reign of Troy

• Markese Stepp enters transfer portal intending to leave USC football
• USC football’s Alijah Vera-Tucker declares for NFL Draft
• USC football adds Xavion Alford as transfer from Texas
• USC Podcast: RoT Radio Ep. 396 on the Football Season’s Fallout
• Talanoa Hufanga named Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year, USC football with five first-teamers

Whatever your opinion is about the decision to create profile pages for the middle school kids, it should not come as a surprise.

After all, back in 2009 Lane Kiffin offered a scholarship to a 13-year-old David Sills, who was in seventh grade at the time.

It was only a matter of time before the football scouting business caught up to the increasingly young ages at which some coaches begin to monitor players. Especially when such children are allowed to participate in camps where scouts inevitably attend and see them.

And it was only a matter of time before coaches caught onto the practices which have been prevalent in Europe for years with regards to kids as young as seven in professional soccer academies.

And 10 Links…

1. Mike Mayock called Nelson Agholor one of his favorite route runners in the draft, giving him a late second round grade. (LA Times)
2. Garry Paskwietz breaks down the seven Trojans heading to the combine, including Leonard Williams being the real deal and Josh Shaw’s rehabilitation. (ESPN)
3. Cody Kessler checks in at No. 2 among Chantel Jenning’s potential Pac-12 Player of the Year candidates. Sportsnation voters seem to think he’s the top guy. (ESPN)
4. Shea Patterson picked Ole Miss over USC and LSU, so Tyler Donahue looked at who the two teams could pursue instead. KJ Costello is a name that pops up often for the Trojans. (Bleacher Report)
5. Our own Michael Castillo instead makes the case for USC passing on adding a 2016 quarterback in favor of putting on the full court press for Tate Martell in 2017. (Reign of Troy)
6. The recruitment of Bishop Amat athlete Trevon Sidney is projected to be a major battle between USC and UCLA in 2016 by Sanjay Kirpalani (Bleacher Report)
7. Michael Lev looks at the pre-spring depth chart on the defensive line, which should have a tough time replacing the “generational talent” that was Leonard Williams. (OC Register)
8. Katin Reinhardt and Stanley Johnson were teammates at Mater Dei, but they’ll be on opposite teams come Thursday when the Trojans take on Arizona. (OC Register)
9. Mike Piellucci names Steven Mitchell as a player to watch during spring camp. (TrojansSports.com)
10. The latest of USC’s Black History Month features highlights the little-known story of C.R. Roberts, the Trojan who starred in segregated Texas, 14 years before Sam “Bam” Cunningham’s famous Alabama game. (USC Athletics)

Stat of the Day:

C.R. Roberts rushed for 251 yards and three touchdowns in just 12 minutes against Texas in 1956.

Tweets of the Day: