USC Football Recruiting: JC OT Malaesala Aumavae-Laulu names Top 7

Four-star offensive tackle Malaesala Aumavae-Laulu named his Top 7 schools on Tuesday, including USC football in the race to sign the JUCO star.

USC football will be losing some big players on the offensive line next year as Toa Lobendahn, Chuma Edoga and Chris Brown graduate and move on. But the Trojans could bring in an even bigger presence in the 2019 recruiting class.

Four-star Malaesala Aumavae-Laulu announced his Top 7 schools on Tuesday and as far as offensive lineman go, it’s hard to get bigger than his 6-foot-7, 345-pound load.

USC made the cut of schools Aumavae-Laulu is considering, along with Oregon, Oklahoma, Ole Miss, Florida State, Florida and TCU.

Aumavae-Laulu plays his junior college ball at Navarro College in Corsicana, Texas but he originally hails from Nevada where he graduated high school in 2017.

A year of JUCO football later, he is now the fifth-ranked junior college prospect in the 247Sports rankings, featuring as the top offensive tackle on the board.

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The 247Sports Crystal Ball bodes well for USC in the early going of Aumavae-Laulu’s recruitment. The Trojans boast all five predictions for landing his signature.

Clay Helton and staff could use a figure like Aumavae-Laulu. The loss of Lobendahn and Brown will be difficult enough to handle, but Edoga’s departure will put particular pressure on the tackle position.

The Trojans will presumably have Austin Jackson and Clayton Johnston to fill the left and right tackle spot, but depth on the outside is somewhat limited.

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Aumavae-Laulu would be able to come in straight away and compete for a starting job as a more developed prospect than USC’s high school recruits, like four-star tackle commit Jason Rodriguez. With three years to play two, he could also redshirt and then come in to fill Johnston’s shoes when he graduates after the 2019 season.