10 Best USC Linebackers of All-Time

8. Su’a Cravens (2013-2015)

The legacy of Su’a Cravens is a tricky one. Case in point, USCFootball.com’s Dan Weber left him off of an All-USC team of 2002 to now, and Cravens himself thought he was a snub.

But for as good as he was as a Trojan, the lack of a true position, a team around him that struggled at times, and a lack of national acclaim and All-American status make Cravens a difficult player to judge.

He got to USC in 2013 as a safety in Clancy Pendergast’s defense. But after outside linebacker Jabari Ruffin went down in fall camp of 2014, he moved in as a replacement to fill in a Justin Wilcox role once made for Shaq Thompson at Washington.

Despite it being an unconventional tweak, the change paid dividends for the Trojans. In two years as an outside linebacker, Cravens thrived on the edge and repeatedly wrecked havoc.

With a knack for getting into the backfield and snuffing out plays with a cerebral game, he amassed an impressive 32 tackles for loss in 27 games as a linebacker.

His instincts as a natural safety also made him a plus-defender in pass coverage, where he picked up 15 pass deflections and five interceptions.

Routinely the best player on the field for USC, and a two-time third-team All-American selection, Cravens’ legacy could’ve been further cemented had he returned for a strong senior campaign.

Ultimately he decided to forgo his senior season, leaving his place in school history in an unfortunate limbo. Even still, his impact on the field for the Trojans was tremendous, making him worthy of being one of USC’s best ever linebackers, despite a lack of first-team All-American honors.