What is the greatest USC football recruiting class of all-time?
![LOS ANGELES - DECEMBER 6: Wide receiver Mike Williams #1 of the USC Trojans celebrates a touchdown reception against the Oregon State Beavers on December 6, 2003 at the Los Angeles Coliseum in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images) LOS ANGELES - DECEMBER 6: Wide receiver Mike Williams #1 of the USC Trojans celebrates a touchdown reception against the Oregon State Beavers on December 6, 2003 at the Los Angeles Coliseum in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images)](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/https-3A-2F-2Freignoftroy-com-2Fwp-content-2Fuploads-2Fgetty-images-2F2020-2F07-2F2789297-850x560-2ffa4a185508c18bef9b51b01a349e60.jpg)
USC football’s No. 3 recruiting class: 2002
Grade: 9/10 Class Ranking: 8th nationally | 2nd in Pac-12 Class Composition:
1 ★★★★★ 9 ★★★★ 11 ★★★
USC’s 2002 class found great value in three-star players and saw most of its four-star targets work out.
Exceeded expectations:
Undoubtedly, the biggest contributor from this class was three-star recruit Mike Williams, who put in two of the greatest seasons a wide receiver has ever had at USC. He was a consensus All-American in 2003.
Tom Malone, another three-star, became arguably the greatest Trojan punter ever by earning All-American honors himself.
Four-star Darnell Bing became a captain and All-American.
Contributors:
Five-star offensive tackle Winston Justice started three years and was drafted in the second round of the NFL draft. However, his career was marred by a one-year suspension for a student conduct issue.
Players like Dominique Byrd, Fred Matua, Dallas Sartz, LaJuan Ramsey became regular starters and were ultimately drafted in the NFL, living up to their four-star ratings.
Also a four-star, Kyle Williams contributed as a backup and then started at right tackle as a senior in a reasonably productive career.
Three-star Oscar Lua served as a backup, earned a starting job and led USC in tackles in 2005.
Disappointments:
Just three of USC’s nine four-star players didn’t exactly pan out. Manny Wright served as a productive backup, but started and ended his career academically ineligible. He also had off the field problems including an arrest.
Four-star junior college transfers Jason Mitchell and Danny Urquhart never amounted to much.