USC football four-star LB commit did the impossible as a returner?
By Evan Desai
Tackett Curtis is a Linebacker commit for USC football. That being said, he's also a safety, a running back, and a punt returner. A literal three-way player who plays four different positions. They don't get more versatile than the four-star product out of Many (LA).
They also don't get more jaw-dropping at their effectiveness of being a three-way player. Curtis had THREE punt return run-backs for touchdowns in his game last week.
USC is expected to have Curtis play linebacker, but it looks like there might be another aspect of his game that could be in store...
And sure, while the one from that class who will likely be first in line to return punts would be five-star WR/PR Zachariah Branch (Bishop Gorman), the point is at least that Curtis' athleticism that he showcases in the return game proves how amazing of an athlete he'll be in the middle of the defense for SC.
USC Football LB commit Tackett Curtis is the No. 91 overall player in the 2023 recruiting class.
It goes to show that USC Football really did get more than just the typical profile of a four-star backer in Tackett Curtis' commitment.
Again, who knows if he'll actually get time as a punt returner for SC, but the athleticism he puts on display in the return game proves that he'll be flying all over the field as a linebacker for the Trojans. Watch how quickly he SOARS through the field in his first punt return touchdown from last Friday:
It's not just speed, though, that Curtis possesses. He also proved to have great agility and shiftiness in his game when he ran back the second punt return for a score. He looked like he was EASILY the best athlete on the field:
NOTHING, though, beats his third return. He not only shows his agility and shiftiness through evading tackles, but he puts his agility and shiftiness on display by literally dodging defenders across the entire field. He jukes out defenders from the far left side of the field all the way over to the far right side of the field, and turns on the jets too for the score:
It was remarkable watching him shed those tackles too. A linebacker who can not only knock a player's helmet loose on defense, but also out-muscle defenders trying to tackle him...He's the No. 5 Linebacker in the nation (all recruiting ratings and rankings in article are as of 247Sports), but he's also got MOVES as a returner, and the physical edge to body defenders with the ball in his hands.
Weapons don't get any more dynamic at the linebacker position than Curtis. Weapons don't get any more dynamic at any position than Curtis. A No. 5 LB recruit in America who's also capable of running three punts back for TD's, Lincoln Riley is probably overjoyed in what he's been hearing from Curtis this year.