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The last time USC had as few as three players selected in an NFL draft, as did they did last weekend, the Trojans were coming off a 6-6 season in Pete Carroll's first year on the job.

That was April 2002.

Cornerbacks Kris Richard and Chris Cash went in the third and sixth rounds, respectively. Thus, the common reaction would be to dismiss that year as having nothing to do with this one, when Matt Kalil and Nick Perry each went in the first round and then only tight end/fullback Rhett Ellison was taken among the remaining 231 selections.

But that would be incorrect.

The two years actually share a lot of similarities -- starting with the fact that the talent on both the 2001 and 2011 squads was overwhelmingly backloaded with underclassmen. The lack of draftable talent in 2002 -- along with the success the 2002 team would go on to have -- foreshadowed the five players who would be taken in 2003, including two in the first round.

And the lack of draftable talent in 2012 should foreshadow the many players likely to be selected in 2013, including three potential first-rounders.

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Former USC tight end/fullback Rhett Ellison is going to join his college teammate Matt Kalil at the next level.

Both ex-Trojans were picked by the Minnesota Vikings in this weekend's 2012 NFL draft, Kalil on Thursday as the fourth overall selection and Ellison on Saturday as the 128th overall selection, late in the fourth round.

It was right around where he was projected to go, but Ellison told Minnesota-area reporters in a conference call after his selection that it was a surprise to him.

"I wasn’t really expecting to get drafted," Ellison said. "I was pretty shocked and I’m still trying to calm everything down."

Ellison becomes USC's third selection of the 2012 draft after Kalil and defensive end Nick Perry, who went 28th overall to Green Bay. Defensive tackle DaJohn Harris is expected to be taken sometime Saturday.

USC defensive end Nick Perry was selected by the Green Bay Packers with the No. 28 overall pick in the first round of the 2012 NFL draft on Thursday.

A two-year starter for the Trojans, Perry was recruited to USC out of Detroit in 2008 as one of the nation's top-rated prospects. He never became a full-fledged star at the college level but lived up to his potential and led the Pac-12 with 9.5 sacks in 2011.

In the Packers' 3-4 defensive scheme, Perry will likely play outside linebacker across from former USC end/linebacker Clay Matthews.

Perry becomes USC's 77th first-round draft pick, the most of any school in history. He was the second ex-Trojan drafted on the draft's first day Thursday after left tackle Matt Kalil, who went fourth overall to the Minnesota Vikings.

Both players departed for the draft after their redshirt junior seasons at USC.

USC has at least two more players expected to be selected at some point during the draft's next two days in tight end Rhett Ellison and defensive tackle DaJohn Harris and three or four others have hopes of being picked.

It's likely the Trojans won't have a player taken Friday, with only rounds two and three taking place then.

As had been expected for the last few months, former USC left tackle Matt Kalil was selected by the Minnesota Vikings high in the first round of the 2012 NFL draft.

But there was a small surprise: Kalil went fourth overall, not third. The Vikings traded down one selection with the Cleveland Browns, getting the man they wanted all along and accumulating some more picks in the process.

Kalil was a two-year starter for the Trojans who declared for the draft after his redshirt junior season. At 6 feet 7 and 300-plus pounds, he has prototypical left tackle size for the next level and will be counted on to be Vikings quarterback Christian Ponder's blind-side blocker for the foreseeable future in Minnesota.

With his selection, Kalil becomes USC's 76th first-round draft pick, the most of any school in the country. He also became USC’s highest selection since Reggie Bush went second in 2006 and the highest offensive lineman since Tony Boselli went second in 1995.

The Trojans now have had 474 NFL draftees, more than any school. Kalil is also the 22nd USC offensive lineman selected in the first round since 1968.

Kalil joins tackles Ron Yary and Steve Riley as ex-USC offensive linemen selected in the first round by the Vikings. The Vikings last took a USC prospect in the first round in 2004, with defensive end Kenechi Udeze.

Kalil is the third member of his family chosen in the NFL draft. His brother, Ryan, an All-American lineman at USC, was a second-round selection in 2007 by the Carolina Panthers and is now an All-Pro center in the NFL. His father, Frank, was a 1982 draftee by the Buffalo Bills out of Arizona.

The NFL draft continues Thursday, Friday and Saturday. USC is expecting anywhere from four to seven players to be selected, with defensive end Nick Perry the next possibility at some point in the latter half of the first round.

The 2012 NFL draft begins tomorrow, Thursday.

USC has two players expected to be taken in the first round, two more players who should definitely be picked at some point over the draft's three days and three other prospects who stand a chance of being selected.

We break down those seven players' draft stock here, in order of their projected selection:

LT Matt Kalil

The two-year USC starter was looked at as a virtual lock to go No. 3 overall to the Minnesota Vikings for quite some time, but there has been recent speculation that his stock is dropping. Still, an absolute worst-case scenario would have Kalil going sixth to St. Louis or seventh to Jacksonville. There's no way he falls out of the top eight, which would make him the highest USC selection since Mark Sanchez went fifth to the Jets in 2009.

DE Nick Perry

Scouts' and experts' opinions on Perry appear varied. Some have him scratching the top half of the first round and some have him falling near the end of the bottom half. The physical specimen still seems like a great bet to be picked at some point among the top 32 picks. One of the factors that will decide how he goes is whether teams will select him as a 4-3 end or 3-4 outside linebacker, which are both possibilities considering his skill set.

DT DaJohn Harris

Harris has some work-ethic issues and medical concerns with sleep apnea and a patent foramen ovale, but he also has the potential to be a starting defensive tackle at the next level, and that should get him picked somewhere in the fourth or fifth rounds, which means he'll probably have to wait until Saturday to be selected with the draft's format. Harris never had a truly consistent long stretch with the Trojans, but he showed flashes on a number of occasions.

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USC’s out on spring break this week and not practicing, but each weekday through Friday, we’ll bring you one thing we learned from the first three days of practice last week and what it might mean for the future.

Our first item covered Marqise Lee‘s continued progress, our second the new-look Aundrey Walker and third the situation at backup QB.

Fourth is this: All options will be explored in the interior of the defensive line.

It doesn't necessarily reflect the talent levels of the players who created them, but USC's biggest hole this offseason -- by far -- is at nose tackle.

Nick Perry had a natural replacement, as did DaJohn Harris in George Uko. Matt Kalil had a qualified candidate to replace him at left tackle, too, in Kevin Graf.

But Christian Tupou's spot? The natural person to step in would be J.R. Tavai, but it's clear he's not being looked at as an every-down option. Then there's Antwaun Woods, whose playing time seems to largely depend on his physical condition.

So what next? Ed Orgeron and the Trojans are looking every which way for potential options to fill the hole created by Tupou's departure. Defensive end Wes Horton worked out at tackle last season, but Orgeron said last week that was a failed experiment and will no longer be tried.

Now, defensive end Greg Townsend Jr. is getting time at the three-technique, which could presumably push Uko to nose if it works out. Redshirt freshman Christian Heyward is sitting out the spring after undergoing shoulder surgery, but he'll get a long look come fall camp to determine if he can contribute 20 or snaps a game.

One thing is clear: The nose tackle spot is going to be USC's biggest 2012 weakness, unless someone unexpectedly emerges. Tupou wasn't a high-profile contributor, but he rarely made mistakes and he was consistently on the field when healthy.

The Trojans could use a similar player this season, since Uko, Horton and Devon Kennard -- the other starting defensive linemen -- have the ability to produce enough quarterback pressure on their own.

Check back later Friday for the fifth and final thing we learned from the spring.

Here are notes and quotes from USC's annual Pro Day event held on campus Wednesday that didn't fit into the rest of our coverage from the day:

• The stars of the day were left tackle Matt Kalil and defensive end Nick Perry, by far. Both players dominated the only thing in which they participated -- position-specific drills. Perry's agility showed up in his drills, when he looked twice as fast as the other defensive linemen in changing directions in small areas. Kalil went one-on-one against Rhett Ellison and Martin Coleman in line/tight end drills and consistently controlled each situation.

• Ellison looked good in pass-catching drills, far more fluid than he did last season. With a respectable time of 4.83 in the 40 and height/weight of 6 feet 5 and 250 pounds, Ellison might be drafted higher than initially projected. Worst-case scenario, he could probably be a usable special-teamer in the NFL. And he has the bloodlines and work ethic to give him the benefit of the doubt.

• Christian Tupou again didn't test well, running 5.50 and 5.40 in the 40-yard dash and struggling some in the defensive-line drills. He's really not a workout-type player and this setting hurts his stock. Running back Marc Tyler said scouts had him in between a 4.64 and 4.70 40, but his official time was in the 4.8-range. He joked that he wasn't going to be running for any 70-yard touchdowns regardless, unless the defender chasing him slipped.

• The fastest 40-yard dash time from a 2011 Trojan was Brandon Carswell's 4.56. Former USC defensive back Cary Harris ran the overall fastest time with a 4.53. The slowest went to Coleman who was timed at 5.95 and 6.03 (gulp). Of the prospects with a legitimate hope of being drafted, Carswell's time helped him the most.

• A general theme from those who went to the NFL combine: It's a little bit scary. Tyler said the time change messed him up and an injured hamstring contributed to his poor running in the 40-yard dash. Linebacker Chris Galippo said he was happy with his performance, not only on the field but in the interview room, where he said he hoped he showed teams he was a "fast-twitch brain" kind of player.

• Among the walk-ons who worked out for USC were tackle Peter Yobo and cornerbacks Boomer Roepke, James Harbin and Allen Noble. Former players included Cary Harris, safety Kevin Ellison, linebacker Nick Garratt and defensive back Josh Pinkard. 2011 Trojans who worked out but aren't expected to be drafted included linebacker Shane Horton, safety Marshall Jones and long-snapper Chris Pousson.

Here's video of prized former USC left tackle Matt Kalil talking to the media after his Pro Day workout on campus on Wednesday.

Kalil, expected to be a top-five selection in next month's NFL draft, reveals the thought process behind not running or lifting at Pro Day and talks about the support he received from his family and USC to get him to this point.

Former USC left tackle Matt Kalil will be going to Radio City Music Hall in New York City for the 2012 NFL draft – and he’s bringing college coach Lane Kiffin with him to the green room.

"He’s helped me a lot as a coach since he’s been here and I owe him that, to invite him down to New York to celebrate with me," Kalil said of taking Kiffin. "It’s going to be fun."

The 6-7, 306-pound Kalil, expected to be a top-five pick in next month’s draft, worked out Wednesday at USC’s Pro Day on campus. He did not run or lift after being satisfied with those numbers at last month’s combine, but he did participate in position drills, dominating competitors in all of the line-specific workouts.

"It was fun,” he said. "These drills come easy to me. I’ve been doing them my whole life, so it’s kind of second nature to me."

He ran an official 4.99 40-yard dash in Indianapolis and did 30 repetitions of 225 pounds on the bench press.

Many mock drafts have Kalil projected as the No. 3 overall pick in the draft, owned by the Minnesota Vikings. New Minnesota general manager Rick Spielman was in attendance Wednesday, along with several other scouts and decision-makers for NFL teams.

Kalil’s older brother Ryan, a center for the Carolina Panthers, was also at USC for Pro Day, coaching up his younger brother in between workouts. Ryan Kalil was selected in the second round in the 2007 draft after three years starting at USC.

Matt Kalil declared early for the draft last December after two seasons as the Trojans’ starting left tackle under Kiffin.

"It definitely was a decision I made that I’m 100 percent confident in," he said Wednesday. "I’m going to have no regrets looking back."

USC offensive tackle Matt Kalil stops by the Scott Van Pelt show to discuss the NFL Scouting Combine and April’s NFL Draft.

USC had seven players participate in the NFL combine, which officially concluded Tuesday in Indianapolis. Some of those players helped their stock significantly and some hurt it sizably. In order of projected draft selection, let's break down the performances:

LT Matt Kalil

Kalil did absolutely nothing to hurt his status as arguably the top non-quarterback in the draft and did a good amount to help it. Scouts were impressed with the 306 pounds on his 6-foot-7 frame, and his official 4.99 40-yard dash time was among the best for offensive linemen.

Reports from Indianapolis had him as the top performer in position-specific drills, too.

DE Nick Perry

We wrote a month ago that Perry could stand to benefit more from the combine than any other player in the country. That turned out to not be too far-fetched.

The defensive end bulked up to 270 pounds on his 6-3 frame for the event and managed to keep his 40-yard dash time under 4.6 seconds, according to multiple reports. An official time of 4.64 is still darn fast, especially when considering his 38.5-inch vertical leap.

Compare those numbers to what DeMarcus Ware, a college defensive end who now plays 3-4 outside linebacker in the NFL, put up in the 2005 combine: He measured in at 6-4 and 256 pounds, ran a 4.56 40 and jumped 38.5 inches.

Those are very similar. Ware beat Perry in the 20-yard shuttle and three-cone drill, but Perry comfortably beat Ware in the bench press.

Ware went 11th overall to the Cowboys in 2005. Perry's going to go in the first round too.

DT DaJohn Harris

Harris didn't do the 40 or bench press or any of the other drills because of an unspecified injury, but he did measure in at 6-3 and 306 pounds, meaning he likely lost a good five or 10 pounds from his 2011 playing weight.

Still a potential third-rounder, USC's March 7 pro day is now an absolutely crucial event for Harris.

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We’re doing position-by-position previews in the weeks leading up to spring practice, breaking down the depth chart for one position group each day, paying special attention to things that can change in the spring.

We’ve looked at the quarterbacks, running backs, receivers and tight ends so far. Today, we analyze the offensive linemen.

This was a problem position group last year for the Trojans, at least until midway through the 2011 season. There was a ton of uncertainty over the guard spots at this point last year, and it largely remained until the final weeks before the regular-season opener.

That won't be the case this year, even though USC is replacing star left tackle Matt Kalil.

The middle three linemen should all be returning starters, with Marcus Martin and John Martinez manning the left and right guard spots and Khaled Holmes at center. Then Aundrey Walker, a sophomore, is going to start the spring at right tackle, and Kevin Graf, a fourth-year junior, is going to do the same on the left side.

That is the most likely alignment come September, too, although it's also likely Walker will get a chance at some point to unseat Graf on the left side. How early that chance will come -- and how many chances there will be -- is still uncertain.

What's there to watch this spring, then? A few things, actually, with maybe the most interesting being exactly how much weight Walker has lost since enrolling at USC. He was listed at 375 pounds all of last season, a weight which reportedly came from his official visit in January 2011. Now, Lane Kiffin is saying he's dropped 60 pounds to 315.

That's a big number, but, if true, could mean he gets an almost-immediate chance to unseat Graf. Even at 6-6 and 300-something last year, it was easy to see Walker's natural athletic ability and quickness on the line. Now that he's dropped a significant amount of weight, it should get even easier.

Linemen who have significant quickness at 6-6 and 300-plus pounds tend to play left tackle, especially at the college level.

Another thing to watch: How did Martin's offseason weight-loss program go? He was listed at 340 pounds last season but has appeared slimmer in winter conditioning workouts.

And, one last thing to note: Unless players leave unexpectedly early for the NFL next offseason, it's likely USC will again return four starters with a combined seven years of starting experience on the offensive line in 2013.

Check back Tuesday for the defensive linemen.

USC offensive tackle Kevin Graf doesn't remember the Arizona State game last season, when he was single-handedly torched by the Sun Devils defensive line and called for three personal-foul penalties in the Trojans' worst loss of 2011.

Or he's trying not to remember it.

Either way, he won't tell you anything specific about what happened to him that awful night in Tempe -- only that it was his "never-again game," he hopes like heck he'll never have to go through it again and that he weighed in at his lowest number in years (276 pounds) a couple days before the contest.

Nothing else.

"As much as I can, I'm putting that game behind me," the 20-year-old Graf said this week, after a USC throwing session on Howard Jones Field. "I took every memory of it and tried to flush it out as much as I could."

The thing is, Graf actually performed quite well at right tackle during the Trojans' other 11 games last season -- especially in the eight following the ASU loss. And now, with left tackle Matt Kalil gone for the NFL, it looks like he'll be the guy protecting quarterback Matt Barkley's blind side next season.

That is, unless gargantuan sophomore Aundrey Walker can continue to shed pounds and get down to a manageable weight come fall camp, in which case he could challenge Graf for the spot. But Graf and Walker make sense as bookend tackles, and that's where they're going to start in spring practice, which begins in less than three weeks on March 6.

Before last season, Graf had never played any other position on the line besides left tackle. So he still feels more comfortable there, even with his only in-game college experience coming on the opposite side.

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Last we wrote, running back Marc Tyler and defensive tackle DaJohn Harris were the only two 2011 Trojans to receive official invitations to the NFL Combine later this month.

Now, we know, there have been three other former USC players invited to participate in the Feb. 22-Feb. 28 event: defensive tackle Christian Tupou, linebacker Chris Galippo and tight end/fullback Rhett Ellison. The three were asked later in the process than Tyler and Harris.

Left tackle Matt Kalil, a sure top-10 pick in April's NFL draft, has not yet been officially invited but is just about a guarantee to end up in Indianapolis for the festivities. Defensive end Nick Perry's situation is the same way.

Last month in Florida, Tyler and Harris played in the East-West Shrine Game, considered the second best college All-Star game played each offseason after the Senior Bowl. No Trojans were invited to that game, although Galippo and receiver Brandon Carswell did play in the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl Game in Carson last month as well.

The 2012 NFL draft begins April 26.

USC has seven players who stand at least a decent chance of being selected in April's NFL draft. With none of them participating in this week's Senior Bowl and the four who played in all-star games already done with their commitments, we figured it's time to delve into where they could be selected and what kind of players they could be at the next level -- starting with the clear-cut top prospect.

LT Matt Kalil

Kalil is going to be a top-10 pick, no doubt about it. The only question with him is how high he'll go. Some draft prognosticators have him firmly entrenched in the No. 2 overall spot of the St. Louis Rams, where new coach and USC alum Jeff Fisher would use him to protect quarterback Sam Bradford, who is said to be the reason he picked the Rams job over other options.

He could also go third, sixth, ninth or 10th -- the teams picking in those spots all need offensive tackles. And potential pick trades could leave him going at any of the other slots, too.

DE Nick Perry

All season long, Perry was projected as a second- or third-round selection. Now that draft analysts are seeing his film, though, Perry has moved right up into the thick of the first-round mix. It's gotten to the point now where it'd be a surprise if he wasn't selected in the first round -- especially after next month's NFL Combine.

Is there anyone who stands to benefit more from next month's festivities than Perry? It's doubtful. He could run a sub-4.5 40-yard dash, based on what he's run in college testing. And he'll put up superb bench-press and weight-room numbers for his 6-3, 250-pound frame.

There are only two questions, then: (1) Can he play defensive end in the NFL or is he better suited to a 3-4 outside linebacker spot? (2) How come he didn't produce a bit more with the Trojans? He never had the monster year he and others predicted he would have.

DT DaJohn Harris

It looks like Harris is going to be taken fairly high, which is interesting, because the 6-4, 310-pounder never produced on a consistent basis until his senior season at USC -- and, even then, he wasn't all that consistent in 2011.

But he is exactly the type of player who could emerge into a starting-caliber defensive tackle in the league. And, based on what he did over the weekend in the East-West Shrine Game, it appears likely he'll be a third- or fourth-round selection in April's draft.

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