Tatum USC or Miami bound

Oakland (Cal.) McClymonds linebacker Joshua Tatum is ready to announce his decision on ESPNU this evening at 7:30 PM EST. Tatum has been down to Miami and Southern Cal for quite some time and had excellent visits to both places. So where will the nation's No. 3 inside linebacker be playing his college ball next season? This one seems easy.

When looking at the situation, all things point to Southern Cal. After all, Tatum is torn between Miami and USC, his two childhood favorites, but one is 330 miles away and the other is 2,500 mile away. When in doubt, always choose the home team. I think this was really a tough decision for Tatum though because both programs offer opportunity and a chance at a national title.

One factor many thought would come into play here was where Tatum's teammates headed. Both tight end NaDerris Ward and defensive tackle Derrick Hill are national top 100 players ans some expected at least two of the trio to play at the same place. Would this decision be different if Ward or Hill were favoring Miami as well? It might be, but neither are.

In the end, Miami and the lure of becoming the next D.J. Williams is enticing, but not enough to sway Tatum away from the Trojans.

Forecast: Southern Cal

Confidence Level: High