Sting Factor: Velltray Jefferson's decommitment from USC
Every time a major program loses a key recruit, Rivals.com takes a look at how big of a blow it is to the respective school, analyzing it from a local and national level. To quantify the “sting” of each decommitment, we assign a score from 1-10, with one being no big deal and 10 being a catastrophic hit.
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Last June during a visit to USC’s elite camp, Velltray Jefferson landed an offer from the Trojans and he committed on the spot.
The three-star receiver from Fresno (Calif.) Edison said at the time that he always dreamed of going to USC. He received that opportunity and did not look back.
Until now. Jefferson decided on Thursday night to back off his USC pledge especially as his recruitment has picked up more. So far, the Fresno Edison standout has landed offers from USC, Nevada, Fresno State, Tennessee and Utah.
The offer from the Volunteers is particularly interesting since Jefferson landed that in recent days and then decided to back off his USC pledge. Other programs are expected to get more involved in his recruitment in the coming months.
Former Fresno Edison standout T.J. McDonald played at USC and Jefferson said that drew him to the program. John Baxter recruited Jefferson but Baxter was fired after USC’s bowl-game loss to Iowa.
LOCAL REACTION
This is a spot USC should be able to replace in this class. It's never too big of a surprise when a prospect who commits very early and immediately upon being offered later changes his mind. Jefferson's lead recruiter -- John Baxter -- is also no longer on staff. While he is a receiver in high school, USC saw versatility in Jefferson as either a WR or a TE. Well, if there's one position the Trojans never struggle to recruit -- even in a down cycle -- it's wide receivers, and if there's one position they have no pressing need for it's tight end. So this spot should be re-purposed just fine, if Jefferson does indeed decide his future is ultimately elsewhere. — Ryan Young, TrojanSports.com
Sting factor: 2
NATIONAL REACTION
Not a big deal at all for USC here as I think the Trojans can upgrade at the wide receiver position. Jefferson is versatile as he could be a wide receiver or tight end and he’s a big athletic kid but trust me USC recruits skill players just fine, especially those who can catch the ball. — Mike Farrell, Rivals.com National Recruiting Director
Sting factor: 2