Standout OL headed to USC

Roy Hemsley took unofficial visits to USC and UCLA in late April and the thinking was that he was nowhere near ready to make a decision.

He said so himself.

That changed pretty quickly for the Los Angeles (Calif.) Windward offensive tackle and after considering all his options in the last few weeks, USC came out on top. On Tuesday, he committed to the Trojans and laid out numerous reasons for his choice.

"It has been a difficult decision to make but I feel USC is the best fit and is the right college for me to continue my studies and to grow as a football player," Hemsley said in a statement.

"As I have looked at different opportunities, I have been seeking the best place for me to succeed in every way - not only to excel on the field but to also pursue my academics interests in business and sports management.

"I wanted to play at a large school where I could make a difference on the team and also take advantage of all the resources that an institution of that size has to offer. USC's football program has an amazing legacy of player development and a culture of winning. I look forward to having the opportunity to contribute to that tradition of excellence."

It was not necessarily an easy decision for Hemsley, a 6-foot-7, 270-pound three-star offensive tackle who was limited in football activities this spring but had a strong showing in January at the Army National Combine.

UCLA was a major contender in his recruitment and Arizona State, Miami, San Diego State and Washington had also offered. Plenty of programs were interested as well and many could still offer in the coming months.

But Hemsley made his choice that USC was the best fit and made it pretty clear in the press release that he's now turning his focus to his senior season and not the recruiting process any longer.

"Now that I have made my choice, I am looking ahead to working hard this summer and then focusing on my final season at Windward," Hemsley said. "I have an entire year to improve my game and support my teammates in every way that I can."