How USC will replace its seven 2024 NFL Draft picks

Seven USC Trojans heard their names called in the 2024 NFL Draft. That’s as many for the Trojans as the previous two drafts combined and the most since USC had nine players selected in the 2021 NFL Draft. That group also includes USC’s 2023 leader in passing, rushing, receptions, receiving touchdowns, interceptions and tackles for loss.

Quarterback Caleb Williams – No. 1 overall pick – Chicago Bears

Miller Moss is up next at quarterback for USC and Trojan fans got a long look at him with a six-touchdown performance in the Holiday Bowl against a Louisville team that was not missing much of a defense that finished the season ranked No. 21 overall in yards allowed per game last season. Moss is also like to replace Williams as a team captain for the Trojans. What likely won’t be replaced are the sheer number of rushing touchdowns as well as the jaw-dropping plays that took eight or nine seconds from snap to throw that Williams to often produced. Moss’ athleticism shouldn’t be underestimated because he can move around and scramble as well, but the position will look different with Moss behind center compared to Williams.

Safety Calen Bullock – No. 78 overall pick – Houston Texans

Both Kamari Ramsey and Akili Arnold took a bulk of their reps at free safety last season for UCLA and Oregon State, respectively. Disguising coverages will be a big part of D’Anton Lynn’s scheme with the Trojans, so having safeties who can play multiple spots rather than strictly a free and strong safeties will be an advantage. These are the likely two starters at safety for the Trojans when the season opens. The toughest aspects to replace when it comes to Bullock are his range and ball skills. Arnold had three career interceptions in five years with the Beavers and Ramsey had one pick last season for the Bruins. So assuming the same number of interceptions (Bullock has two last year, five in 2022 and two as a true freshman in 2021) is unlikely. But while the range might shrink, the coverage ability at safety likely won’t. According to PFF, Arnold posted an 87.1 coverage grade in 2023, good for No. 10 nationally among safeties with at least 300 snaps. That’s several spots higher than Bullock, who finished tied for No. 27. And Ramsey was put in single coverage by Lynn a few times last season, responding with an allowed reception percentage of just 45.5%, No. 5 nationally among all safeties with at least 300 snaps.

Running back MarShawn Lloyd – No. 88 overall pick – Green Bay Packers

Lloyd will be replaced as the USC starting running back by yet another one-year transfer at the position in Jo’Quavious “Woody” Marks. It’ll be the fourth year in a row that the USC starting running back is a veteran transfer after Keaontay Ingram in 2021, Travis Dye in 2022 and Lloyd last season. Marks looks as though he’ll step right in and be capable of the same kind of production Lloyd had last season. But it’ll be interesting to see if Marks can step up in the areas where Lloyd excelled. Lloyd averaged 5.2 yards per carry in 2022, the year before averaging 7.1 yards per carry last fall with the Trojans. Marks also averaged 5.2 yards per carry in 2022, though that dropped to 4.7 this past fall. One area where he was hurt is creating missed tackles. He had 10 of them against Arizona early in the season but just nine combined in the other eight games in which he played. Lloyd had 47 missed tackles forced compared to the 19 for Marks. While Lloyd was a solid pass catcher, Marks is outstanding out of the backfield. That will be an advantage for the Trojans this season. Quinten Joyner will be a big part of the offense this season. And it wouldn’t be surprising to see A’Marion Peterson potentially emerge as a short-yardage back to help physically replace Lloyd’s 215-pound frame when that’s needed.

Offensive lineman Jarrett Kingston – No. 236 overall pick – San Francisco 49ers

Kingston began the season as the backup right guard, took over as the starter in the second week, then kicked out as the starting right tackle for five of the final six games to end the season (he missed the UCLA game due to injury). Right now, Alani Noa looks like the starter at right guard and Mason Murphy is slated to start the season at right tackle. Four of Kingston’s six best games according to PFF came after that move out to right tackle. Replacing Kingston will put plenty of pressure on the shoulders of Murphy if he holds onto that spot. USC is still chasing some offensive linemen in the transfer portal, so this is one that could still shuffle depending on what the roster looks like this fall.

Wide receiver Brenden Rice – No. 225 overall pick – Los Angeles Chargers

Second-year player Ja’Kobi Lane looks like he’s ready to take over as the No. 1 outside receiver for the Trojans (though Duce Robinson will have something to say about that). Rice caught 12 touchdown passes last season but was sometimes hit or miss in terms of being a consistent weapon that defenses had difficulty containing. From all reports this spring, Lane is ready to be that guy this fall.

Defensive end Solomon Byrd – No. 238 overall pick – Houston Texans

Specifically with Byrd, USC is looking to replace its leader in tackles for loss and forced fumbles, plus the No. 2 player in sacks. Right now there isn’t much of a guarantee as to who that will be, but if things go according to schedule, Anthony Lucas will be the guy. There was a ton of hype regarding Lucas during 2023 spring ball and he did not deliver on it, finishing with just 10 tackles, including 3.5 for loss (he had three tackles and two for loss against San Jose State in the opener). He didn’t receive quite the same amount of hype this spring, but players still pointed to him as one of the standouts at times. There seemed to be a confidence from head coach Lincoln Riley that Lucas had solved some of the issues that prevented the breakthrough last fall. He did not dominate the spring game, but the starting defensive line was asked to do so little in terms of playing time and physically tackling that it was difficult to get much of a gauge. Braylan Shelby deserves a mention here as well. A breakout year for him would not be surprising given the flashes he had as a true freshman and now playing under this new coaching staff.

Wide receiver Tahj Washington – No. 241 overall pick – Miami Dolphins

Washington led the Trojans with 59 receptions and 1,062 receiving yards. He was also a phenomenal glue guy for the offense as a blocker and doer-of-all-the-little-things. It’s likely the Trojans get Washington’s production (and then some) from a combination of Zachariah Branch and Makai Lemon. That big-play production Washington had a knack for last season with so many receptions of 40+ yards seems to be in Branch’s wheelhouse. The other freshmen receivers piled up receptions and touchdown against Louisville, but Branch was just a few steps away from getting on the receiving end of a couple of deep balls from Moss. Where Lemon likely fills the role is as the No. 2 kick returner, a solid blocker at receiver, and potentially as the go-to receiver for Moss. Washington finished last season with at least four receptions in each of the final seven games. With defenses likely focusing on Branch and the big outside receivers, it feels like Lemon could have a big and consistent year exploiting safety and linebacker coverage

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