USC Football: Sam Darnold and the highest selected Trojans of all-time

The USC Football program is one of the most decorated collegiate football programs in the nation. Thus, some high NFL Draft selections have been Trojans. Quarterback Sam Darnold looks to join the ranks.

Sam Darnold is heading to the NFL in the 2018 NFL Draft and in doing so is going to join some illustrious USC Football quarterbacks. Carson Palmer, Mark Sanchez and Matt Cassell were some of the best USC Football players of all-time; whether or not their NFL career’s followed suit is up for debate.

Darnold is the highest touted Trojan quarterback to enter the draft since Sanchez in 2009. Alongside teammate running back Ronald Jones II, 2018 poises to be the first year since 2006 in which two offensive USC Trojans are selected in the first round. In 2006 Reggie Bush was the second overall selection and Matt Leinart was the tenth overall selection.

With the 2018 NFL Draft fresh in everyone’s minds and the intrigue of Darnold, we wanted to take a look of the highest drafted Trojans of all-time and predict where Darnold will join the fray.

First overall selections:

Carson Palmer, Keyshawn Johnson, Ricky Bell, O.J. Simpson, Ron Yary
Best of the bunch: O.J. Simpson

Without taking into consideration his controversial life outside of the game of football, O.J. Simpson may be the best USC Trojan to ever play in the NFL. Simpson is a Hall of Fame running back with an MVP award and over 11 thousand rushing yards. Ron Yary is the other Hall of Famer to be selected first overall out of USC.

Keyshawn Johnson was good in his time — winning a Super Bowl and being named to three All-Pro teams — but won’t go down in the conversation of best of all-time.

Ricky Bell is one of the saddest cases of “what-if”. After leading USC to the Rose Bowl and finishing as the Heisman runner-up, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers drafted Bell. However, a myriad of injuries and health problems led to a short six-year career that had just one 1000 yard season. Bell died on November 28, 1984, due to heart failure.

Carson Palmer, who is now set to retire, has had perhaps the best NFL career of USC quarterbacks. While injuries kept Palmer from potentially being a Hall of Famer, it is a career that Sam Darnold should aspire for.

Second overall selections:

Reggie Bush, Darrell Russell, Tony Boselli, Jon Arnett
Best of the bunch: Tony Boselli

Some people may argue that Reggie Bush deserves the honors of best of the bunch, but I would argue that Boselli takes the cake. Boselli was a five-time Pro Bowler and three-time All-Pro in his career; honors Bush never received. Bush does get more love, though, as running back is much more illustrious to play than tackle.

Arnett and Russell both also have one All-Pro under their belt and put together a pretty good career; Arnett playing for ten seasons and Rusell playing for six. Although both were very solid players, neither really stands out in the history books.

Third overall selections:

Chip Banks, Anthony Munoz
Best of the bunch: Anthony Munoz

Chip Banks put together a very good career by every standard. Banks played for ten years, five or six of which can be considered dominant. He was a four-time Pro Bowler, one-time All-Pro and even won the 1982 AP Defensive Rookie of the Year with the Cleveland Browns.

However, it is hard for anybody to really compete with the career that Anthony Munoz had. Munoz is a Hall of Fame left tackle, the third Hall of Famer on this list and was an anchor for the Cincinnati Bengals for 13 seasons. 11 Pro Bowls, nine All-Pros and a Walter Payton Man of the Year Award all point towards his greatness.

Other top-five standouts:

Willie McGinest, Marvin Powell (Fourth); Junior Seau (Fifth)
Best of the bunch: Junior Seau

There are a lot of Trojans that were selected with the fourth and fifth overall picks, however, only three really stand out above the rest. Of course, there is Junior Seau (my dad’s all-time favorite player) who arguably could go down as the best linebacker of all-time.

Willie McGinest and Marvin Powell were also great as well. McGinest, another linebacker, played a staggering 212 games and was elected to two Pro Bowls as well as winning three Super Bowls with the New England Patriots. Powell, an offensive tackle, was elected to five Pro Bowls and one All-Pro team.

So, where does Darnold end up?

Second overall.

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I think the New York Giants are going to cash-in on Eli Manning’s successor with the second overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft. The Giants will have options such as Josh Allen, Baker Mayfield and Josh Rosen to also choose from. However, of the three, Darnold arguably has the most upside.

I would argue that Rosen and Mayfield are ready to start today, Allen, well I just do not understand the hype around him. Sam Darnold, on the other hand, is still a little green. Although he shows a ton of promise, he definitely could benefit from learning under Eli Manning for a year or two before beginning a new reign in New York.

Heck, I would not be surprised if the Giants select him with the third overall pick. If I am the Giants, I would show a ton of interest in Saquon Barkley. The Colts, who could be playoff contenders with Andrew Luck and Barkley in the backfield, may then bite at a pick-swap trade that lands the Giants future draft picks. Talk about a steal.

Next: Sam Darnold and the New York Jets: A Madden Simulation

Overall, though, I think Darnold’s best fit is in New York with the New York Giants. Chris Trapasso of CBS Sports agrees with my sentiment. Darnold would then become the second USC quarterback selected in a top-three pick.

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