Here’s how beat reporters from across the country, per the LAT, now see Alijah Vera-Tucker landing in the first round (Thursday) of the 2021 NFL draft.
23. New York Jets | G Alijah Vera-Tucker, USC
OG/OT Vera-Tucker, sometimes mocked to go as high as #13, slips in 10 picks later here, and finds himself picked behind four other OLs, including OT Penei Sewell (ORE, always picked as the #1 to go; USC recruited Sewell hard but was unable to beat the Ducks for him), OT Rashawn Slater (NW), OT Christian Darrisaw (VT) and OT Teven Jenkins (OKS).
So Vera-Tucker could very well end up with the always woeful New York Jets, where Sam Darnold learned first-hand just how much a bad team could potentially ruin his NFL career.
USC G Alijah Vera-Tucker
Every NFL team loves versatility and Vera-Tucker is a perfect-plug-and-play prospect. He played both guard and tackle at USC and, according to scouts, is NFL-ready. The Jets need to do for their new QB Zach Wilson what they failed to do for Sam Darnold, which is build around him with strong, young talent. Vera-Tucker, a favorite among almost every draft analyst, is a player who can do nothing but help the development of Wilson, the Jets’ latest franchise QB hopeful. He projects likely as a guard in the NFL based on his skill set and his 6-4, 308-pound frame. — Mark Cannizzaro, New York Post
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Did AJT come into USC being that good? Tell me he got coached up to that level and I have to ask, did any other lineman pay attention when the coaches talked? I just cringe when I see CH talking about the players. He hasn’t coached anyone up his whole career.
He had a lot of good offers, mostly from the west. 247Sports ranked him as a 4-star guy, and the #19 OT prospect, and the 13th best overall prospect in Calif. Had I felt the same about his talent when publishing SuperPrep, that placement would have made him a solid, mid-range SuperPrep All-America. Anyone who thinks he was actually “coached-up” compared to how the better OLs are coached at today’s superior programs, would be just kidding themselves IMO. Good for Vera-Tucker! Ironically, the pros will be looking to him to quickly fix their O-lines, something he could never come close… Read more »
Every once in a while a rose will blossom even though it sits in bad soil. AJT is like that rose. Hufanga is different, he just finally matured into the player we thought he could be, and did it well. All of these success’s in spite of having such poor head coaching. I do believe CH will be totally exposed this coming season for the all out failure he is and the program may implode with huge changes to come from it.
Other than AL, did any other team in Power 5 have two first round NFL OL playing on the same line? SC had two in 2019 (Austin Jackson and Vera Tucker). And the OL stunk. I put the blame entirely on Clay. He totally mangled managing GH. The Oscars lost 80% market share when the population of the country rose? Gotta love the woke. Dennis Prager states the left ruins whatever it touches. I used to enjoy watching Robert DiNiro movies. Ever since he went on his rants about Donald Trump, I literally cannot watch him. All I see is… Read more »
The amazing, wonderful, never slow, never predictable NFL Draft (from Cleveland this year) begins out on the west coast out here for us Draftnicks on Thursday from Thursday at 5:00 until 8:30 on the NFL Network and ESPN. On the NFL Draft Network (187 on Cox in Orange County), kickoff coverage literally starts at 8 am. So where do you predict Vera-Tucker will get drafted to? I’m still hoping he’ll get lucky with the Chargers at #13. But if not, I sure hope Vera-Tucker at least finds that fate somehow steers the big guy away from the graveyard of all… Read more »
Sort of – ND is an independent – but unfortunately in 2018 they had 2 of the top 9 picks in Nelson and McGlinchey. That same year ARSB’s older brother was drafted in the 6th round.
I also agree with the fact that I’m over all the politics. It was mildly annoying during college football as I was just happy to watch my favorite sport again (well maybe not that happy watching USC) but now I change the channel.
Nevertheless, I still hate Rudy. 😋
@Terrific Tommy I’ve never quite understood how ND managed to make the sappy Rudy story such a big deal. I think it’s one of the more over-rated, slow sports movies of all time. Plus, the film is filled with actual lies about what really happened. Win One For the Gipper it’s not. Rudy was simply a JC transfer, Notre Dame wannabe. It would be like if I, who was actually recruited by Golden West and Orange Coast to play ball for them, begged John McKay to let me practice with the Trojans as a freshman walk-on in 1970. So let’s… Read more »
It’s never too late Allen – you can still compete to be the love of Clay’s life and find yourself a “contender”.
Seriously, with the physical attributes of current players, I think it would probably be criminal negligence today to put “Rudy” on any D1 field.
I think the only “facts” that can be trusted about movies “based on true stories” is that the names are correct.
I went to school with a great Trojan walk-on. His name is Joe Collins, and USC now gives out the Joe Collins Walk-On Award every year. Always a great guy too.
Me too.
Thanks for pointing that out @TommyTrojan. It’s a pretty superb occurrence, for one school to literally land two OLs in the top 10 picks in the same Draft. Come on! ND sends OG Quenton Nelson to the Colts at #6 in the Sam Darnold 2018 Draft, when the Jets pick him #3. Then, the Irish also provide the #9 choice, OT Mike McGlinchey, to the 49ers. Here’s what a dominant O-line will do for you. In the preceding 2017 season, ND just killed USC 49-14. It was just a horrible game if you were a Trojan fan. USC really didn’t… Read more »
NFL Media Analyst Daniel Jeremiah’s top USC projections among his best 150 prospects in the 2021 NFL Draft class: #13. USC OG Alijah Vera-Tucker is one of the safest players in this draft class. He played guard at a very high level in 2019 before producing an outstanding campaign at tackle in 2020. He plays with excellent strength, balance and awareness in pass protection. He is quick out of his stance and has a sharp/quick punch. He can bend and does a good job of staying connected. He will underset at times, allowing defenders on his edge, but he is… Read more »