Franklin checks out USC practice
Darrian Franklin is one of the top California prospects in the 2016 class so it was big news last week when he visited USC to watch practice.
The Downey, Calif., four-star linebacker was definitely impressed with the new coaching staff and the pace of practice and he plans to return to USC this season for some games.
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"It was a cool practice," Franklin said. "They had the music going. It was really intense and fast-paced. They ran everywhere. There was no walking. It was high tempo and there was a really good energy."
Franklin, rated as the ninth-best outside linebacker and the No. 103 prospect in the 2016 class by Rivals.com, had some extensive talks with coach Steve Sarkisian and defensive coordinator Justin Wilcox among others when he was on campus.
USC is definitely one of Franklin's early favorites although he doesn't have a firm list yet. So far, the four-star has been offered by Arizona State, Miami, UCLA, USC, Utah and Washington.
"They asked me how I was doing and they asked about my weight training," Franklin said. "We talked about my practice and they talked about coming out and seeing me play in a game this season. They were talking about their system and how they plan on winning and their future game against Alabama.
"They're definitely in my top five. They're highly up there and one of my favorite schools."
As for this upcoming season, Franklin said he will definitely see games at USC and UCLA. The Downey standout is hoping to travel a little further as well to maybe see a game in the Big 10.
"I'm going to see a bunch of games," Franklin said. "I'm going to check out UCLA for sure and USC. I want to see where else I can go, maybe Michigan."
The Wolverines along with Notre Dame and Colorado are also showing new interest.