The loss of head coach Pete Carroll doesn’t seem to have diminished Southern California’s ability to draw the nation’s top players. 
Serra wide receiver Robert Woods is still solid at USC.
File photo by Gary Jones
While five players have yet to announce their college choice, Southern California has the most commitments among the MaxPreps All-American first and second teams, followed by a three-way tie between Texas, Florida and Alabama.
Carroll was seen as a tremendous recruiter during his tenure with the Trojans, but his loss has, so far, not changed the minds of five All-American recruits. Kyle Prater of Proviso West (Ill.), Dillon Baxter of Mission Bay (Calif.), Xavier Grimble of Bishop Gorman (Nev.), Robert Woods of Serra (Calif.) and Matt Darr of Frontier (Calif.) have not officially changed their commitments to the Trojans, although there was some speculation that both Prater and Baxter might do so immediately following Carroll’s resignation.
The Trojans were stung by a few defections on signing day last year when All-American Vontaze Burfict opted for Arizona State and Randall Carroll and Morrell Presley decided on UCLA.
Perhaps one reason the Trojans have held on to their All-American haul this year is the choice of coach to replace Pete Carroll. Lane Kiffin, despite a spotty win-loss record, is considered a strong recruiter. In fact Tennessee, Kiffin’s former team, ranks just behind Alabama, Florida and Texas with three MaxPreps All-Americans.
Florida and Texas have made a late push to catch USC. The Gators have put together a strong class, especially on the defensive side of the ball where defensive end Ronald Powell, defensive tackle Shariff Floyd, safety Matt Elam and cornerback Cody Riggs all reside.
Texas, meanwhile, picked up commitments from defensive standouts Jackson Jeffcoat and Jordan Hicks just last week. They join previous commits Demarco Cobb and Reggie Wilson to give the Longhorns a strong defensive core of recruits.
National champion Alabama will also get plenty of help on defense with linebacker CJ Moseley and defensive backs Keenan Allen and Nick Perry. Quarterback Phillip Sims is the Crimson Tide’s other All-American recruit.
Of the 60 MaxPreps All-Americans, 47 have made their verbal choice while five are uncommitted. There were eight juniors on the two teams.
The two big prizes among the uncommitted players are tackle Seantrell Henderson of Cretin-Derham Hall and Marcus Lattimore of Byrnes. Neither have indicated where they might end up next year, although speculation has it that Henderson may sign with Ohio State and Lattimore will stay close to home at South Carolina.
Following are the MaxPreps All-American first and second teams with the college choice listed for each player.
First Team Offense
Da'Rick Rogers, WR, 6-2, 210, Calhoun (Ga.), Senior, Georgia
Kyle Prater, WR, 6-5, 210, Proviso West (Proviso, Ill.), Senior, USC
Greg Dent, WR, 6-0, 175, Glades Central (Belle Glade, Fla.), Senior, Florida State
Austin Seferian-Jenkins, TE, 6-7, 250, Gig Harbor (Wash.), Junior
Seantrel Henderson, OL, 6-8, 310, Cretin-Derham Hall (St. Paul, Minn.), Senior, Undecided
Ja'Wuan James, OL, 6-6, 285, North Gwinnett (Suwanee, Ga.), Senior, Tennessee
Jake Alexander, OL, 6-2, 270, Jenks (Tulsa, Okla.), Senior, Tulsa
Tuni Kanuch, OL, 6-1, 285, Bingham (South Jordan, Utah), Senior, BYU
Evan Washington, OL, 6-5, 285, DeSoto (Texas), Senior, LSU
Dylan Favre, QB, 5-11, 195, St. Stanislaus (Bay St. Louis, Miss.), Senior, Mississippi State
Christian LeMay, QB, 6-3, 195, Butler (Matthews, N.C.), Junior
Malcolm Jones, RB, 6-0, 215, Oaks Christian (Westlake Village, Calif.), Senior, UCLA
K. P. Parks, RB, 5-7, 190, West Rowan (Mount Ulla, N.C.), Senior, Virginia
Herschel Sims, RB, 5-10, 185, Abilene (Texas), Junior
Dillon Baxter, ATH, 6-0, 205, Mission Bay (Calif.), Senior, USC
Zach Hocker, K, 5-11, 170, Russellville (Ark.), Senior, Arkansas State
First Team Defense
Jadeveon Clowney, DL, 6-6, 240, South Pointe (Rock Hill, S.C.), Junior
Jacques Smith, DL, 6-2, 235, Ooltewah (Tenn.), Senior, Tennessee
Jackson Jeffcoat, DL, 6-5, 233, Plano West (Plano, Texas), Senior, Texas
Sharrif Floyd, DL, 6-3, 310, Washington (Philadelphia), Senior, Florida
Matt Elam, LB, 5-10, 190, Dwyer (Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.), Senior, Florida
Jordan Hicks, LB, 6-2, 210, Lakota West (West Chester, Ohio), Senior, Texas
William Gholston, LB, 6-6, 245, Southeastern (Detroit), Senior, Michigan State
Corey Nelson, LB, 6-1, 200, Skyline (Dallas), Senior, Texas A&M
C.J. Mosley, LB, 6-2, 220, Theodore (Ala.), Senior, Alabama
Robert Woods, DB, 6-1, 170, Serra (Gardena, Calif.), Senior, USC
Nick Perry, DB, 6-2, 190, Prattville (Ala.), Senior, Alabama
Demarco Cobbs, DB, 6-2, 205, Central (Tulsa, Okla.), Senior, Texas
Keenan Allen, DB, 6-3, 195, Northern Guilford (Greensboro, N.C.), Senior, Alabama
Matt Darr, P, 6-2, 210, Frontier (Bakersfield, Calif.), Senior, USC
Second Team Offense
Robert Joseph, WR, 5-9, 170, Northwestern (Rock Hill, S.C.), Junior
Tai-ler Jones, WR, 6-0, 180, Gainesville (Ga.), Senior, Notre Dame
Tobias Singleton, WR, 6-2, 180, Madison Central (Madison, Miss.), Junior
Xavier Grimble, TE, 6-5, 245, Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas), Senior, USC
James Hurst, OL, 6-5, 285, Plainfield (Ind.), Senior, North Carolina
Matt James, OL, 6-8, 280, St. Xavier (Cincinnati, Ohio), Senior, Undecided
Tyler Grubbs, OL, 6-6, 277, Highlands (Fort Thomas, Ky.), Senior, Miami (Ohio)
Christian Lombard, OL, 6-6, 280, Fremd (Palatine, Ill.), Senior, Notre Dame
Nick Rowland, OL, 6-4, 295, Centennial (Peoria, Ariz.), Senior, Oregon
Scotty Young, QB, 6-3, 190, Ryan (Denton, Texas), Senior, Texas Tech
Phillip Sims, QB, 6-1, 215, Smith (Chesapeake, Va.), Senior, Alabama
Tony Jones, RB, 5-8, 180, Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, N.J.), Senior, Colorado
Marcus Lattimore, RB, 6-0, 210, Byrnes (Duncan, S.C.), Senior, Undecided
Matt Perez, RB, 5-11, 200, Maine South (Park Ridge, Ill.), Senior, Indiana
Gavin Webster, ATH, 5-10, 200, Lutcher (La.), Senior, Southeast Louisiana
Carey Spear, K, 5-10, 165, Mayfield (Cleveland, Ohio), Senior, Vanderbilt
Second Team Defense
James Wilder Jr., DL, 6-3, 220, Plant (Tampa, Fla.), Junior
Reggie Wilson, DL, 6-4, 240, Haltom (Haltom City, Texas), Senior, Texas
Shawn Green, DL, 6-1, 273, Grayson (Loganville, Ga.), Senior, Georgia Tech
Nduka Onyeali, DL, 6-1, 240, Mullen (Denver, Colo.), Senior, Arizona State
Jason Meehan, LB, 6-4, 240, Webster Groves (Mo.), Junior
Max Bullough, LB, 6-3, 210, St. Francis (Traverse City, Mich.), Senior, Michigan State
Ronald Powell, LB, 6-4, 240, Rancho Verde (Moreno Valley, Calif.), Senior, Florida
D.J. Welter, LB, 6-1, 220, Notre Dame (Crowley, La.), Senior, LSU
Emmanuel Maxwell, LB, 5-11, 200, Midwest City (Okla.), Senior, Undecided
Alec Ogletree, DB, 6-3, 210, Newnan (Ga.), Senior, Georgia
Airek Green, DB, 6-1, 200, Thomas Dale (Chester, Va.), Senior, Undecided
Keanon Lowe, DB, 5-10, 170, Jesuit (Portland, Ore.), Senior, Washington
Cody Riggs, DB, 5-9, 165, Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.), Senior, Florida
Michael Palardy, P, 6-1, 175, Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.), Senior, Tennessee
