7  Cary Harris – CB (Notre Dame H.S. – Pacoima, CA)
Cary was a 2004 Super Prep All-American, Super Prep Elite 50, Prep

Star All-American, EA Sports All-American (honorable mention), Cal-Hi Sports All-State First Team and All-CIF Division III Defensive Player of the Year, just

to mention a few of his senior year accolades at Notre Dame in Sherman Oaks.  A pure athlete, he played on both sides of the ball, rushing for 1,800

yards and 24 TDs and racking up 81 tackles, 19 deflections, 2 forced fumbles and 2 interceptions.  Harris is a little ways down the depth chart for now,

but it shouldn’t be too long before he starts cracking the stacked Trojan defensive backfield rotation.

10  Brian Cushing – LB (Bergen Catholic H.S. – Park Ridge, NJ)
This guy is an animal.  6’4" 235 at 18 years

old.  Parade All-American, USA Today All-USA First Team, Super Prep Elite 50, Super Prep All-Northeast Defensive Player of the Year, EA Sports

All-American (second team), Tom Lemming All-American…the list goes on and on.  As a senior linebacker, Cush had 120 tackles, 10 sacks and 7

interceptions–not to mention his 475 rushing yards and 10 TDs on the other side of the ball–all while missing 3 games with an ankle sprain.  Cushing

definitely has the talent to crack the Trojan linebacker corps this season–but he’s currently slated behind Dallas Sartz on the depth chart, which probably

doesn’t translate to much playing time, at least short-term.  But it will be hard to keep him out of the lineup for long.

15  Kevin Thomas – CB (Rio Mesa H.S. – Oxnard, CA)
Following his knack for recruiting excessively to address current

weaknesses, Kevin Thomas is yet another blue-chipper to help fortify the Trojans defensive backfield.  Thomas was a 2004 Super Prep All-American, Prep

Star All-American, Los Angeles Times All-Ventura/North Coast Back of the Year, All-CIF Division IV, Prep Star All-West, and all the other usual

suspects.  As a senior, he played WR and DB for Rio Mesa High, racking up 81 tackles and 5 picks, along with 5 receiving TDs and a kickoff return for a

TD.  He also ran track in high school, with a best of 10.84 in the 100 meters and 22.0 in the 200.  He’s currently listed behind Justin Wyatt at

corner for the Trojans–but we’re sure Carroll will be eager to use Thomas against opponents’ speediest receivers–look for Thomas in extra DB packages early

in the season.