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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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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.

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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BOULDER, Colo. -- USC started five true freshmen against Colorado, its highest number this season -- and seven freshmen in all counting redshirts Hayes Pullard and Randall Telfer.

They didn't post perfect performances, but, all things considered, it made for a bit of a preview of the future in what ended up being a half-laugher, as the Trojans comfortably ran over the Buffaloes, 42-17, at Folsom Field. And it had Trojans head coach Lane Kiffin raving afterward as he looked forward to the years to come at USC.

"Most of our big plays on offense came from young players," Kiffin said in his postgame press conference. "Marqise Lee, Xavier Grimble, Robert Woods and Amir Carlisle are all freshmen or sophomores and had touchdown receptions.

"The future is bright."

Lee is a true freshman, as is Carlisle. Grimble -- and his tight end counterpart Telfer, who blocked a field goal Friday -- are both redshirt freshmen. Woods is the old man of the group as a 19-year-old sophomore.

The other young players who started were linebackers Tre Madden and Lamar Dawson, left guard Marcus Martin and kicker Andre Heidari, all true freshmen. It was Madden and Dawson's first career start; Martin's seventh after he was a reserve for the first two games.

The obvious reason why Madden started was that Dion Bailey was out with a concussion, but there were other ways to work around that if USC wanted. The Trojans could've easily started Shane Horton there. But they also chose to move Dawson in for Chris Galippo at middle linebacker in a switch that has all the makings of a move for the future.

In short, USC got an opportunity to give its talented young players a chance against Colorado, and Kiffin took it and ran with it.

"We have a great class from top to bottom, and we have a lot of talent out there," said Carlisle, who scored his first career touchdown in the fourth quarter on Matt Barkley's record-breaking sixth touchdown pass. "It's going to be a bright future for USC.

"These young guys have just been working hard."

Of course, it's a two-sided issue. USC gets the chance to play a ton of young players, but the Trojans will also have to rely on those same young players in big games coming up the next two weeks against Washington and Oregon.

"We don't have too much depth," said Telfer, who had a catch to go with his field-goal block. "So we knew we had to step up as freshmen.

"It doesn't surprise me too much because the freshmen are really athletic."

Midway through August, Notre Dame quarterback Dayne Crist was named the starting signal-caller for the Fighting Irish by head coach Brian Kelly, beating out precocious sophomore Tommy Rees.

And then he lost his job a half-game into the season when he started off badly against South Florida and Kelly called for Rees in the second half after severe weather forced the teams into a two-hour halftime delay. Now, Rees is the full-fledged starter and Crist is the backup, a talented fourth-year junior sitting behind a second-year player.

As USC and the Horton brothers -- Shane and Wes -- come into town this week, it's a fitting time to look back on what happened and what remains for Crist's collegiate career. The trio played together at Sherman Oaks Notre Dame and have kept in touch throughout college, meeting up during Notre Dame's bye last week when Crist came back to town.

They talked plenty, but not about the situation back at school, Wes Horton said Thursday. Still, the USC defensive end offered some perspective on the whole situation.

"It sucked," Wes Horton said of Crist's position. "He was kind of on a short leash and he had that one bad game, but that doesn't take away from the fact that he's a great quarterback and he can get the job done. It was a smooth transition, Tommy Rees is their guy now, and they've been winning a lot lately with him.

"It is what it is."

As for the Trojans themselves, Horton's aware of what the game against Notre Dame means for USC. If the Trojans win, they're guaranteed a spot in the top-25 and a 6-1 record heading into a big home date against Stanford. If they lose, they're 5-2 and vaulting downward.

Then there's the defensive line, too -- the unit that has performed OK over the first half of the year but hasn't quite met expectations.

"This is a huge game for us," Horton said. "Seeing them on film, knowing what we gotta do up front, this could really be a breakout game for us.

"If we can prove that we can constantly get pressure on them and make plays in the backfield, that's gonna say a lot and boost us as we go into the later part of the season."

SAN FRANCISCO -- We're just about set to go here at AT&T Park (!) for the Trojans' 6 p.m. game against Cal. Here are a couple of last-minute things worthy of an update before kickoff:

• Two key injury updates: Linebacker Lamar Dawson (ankle) and cornerback Torin Harris (shoulder) did not make the trip to the Bay Area and will not play in Thursday's game. Both players had participated in minor portions of practice over the last week and a half and were considered game-time decisions heading into the game. In Dawson's place as the No. 2 middle linebacker will be Will Andrew and Shane Horton, who should both play as the USC coaches attempt to rest Chris Galippo.

• At Harris' second starting spot could be either Isiah Wiley or Anthony Brown, who started two weeks ago against Arizona. Regardless, it's likely both players will play and actually allow the Trojans to set up in the occasional nickel set-up, which they didn't do a single time against the Wildcats. Wiley, a junior transfer, has looked very good over the last week of practice.

• Unlike the Emerald Bowl, the last (and only other) time USC played a game here at AT&T, the teams are not sharing sidelines. USC will be occupying the east sideline; Cal the west. The Bears' side appears a bit more spacious but the Trojans have plenty of room as well.

• The temperature was hotter than expected during the day in San Francisco, but it's dropped significantly as game time approaches. It's expected to be 75 degrees by kickoff and roughly 68 by the time the game ends. And the entire field at AT&T will be covered in shade by the time the game starts.

Join us here on the USC Report on ESPNLA.com beginning at 6 p.m. PT as Mark Saxon and I keep you updated throughout the game in Trojans Live!, an interactive live chat where we provide updates on game action and answer any and all questions.

Freshman middle linebacker Lamar Dawson missed Thursday's practice and continued to wear the walking boot on his sprained left ankle, lessening the possibility that he'll play Saturday against Arizona State in reserve of starter Chris Galippo.

He hasn't practiced since suffering the injury late in last week's win over Syracuse. So what will the Trojans do if Dawson can't go?

There are two ways they could go about it.

The first is relying on redshirt sophomore Will Andrew, a former walk-on who earned a scholarship in fall camp after taking a number of snaps in spring practice while Galippo was out. Andrew, at 6-2, 230 pounds, has the size and has some experience playing middle 'backer in game situations late last season and early on this year. But could he play meaningful snaps -- 12-25 is the range they're looking at -- early and often in Arizona.

The second is moving over Shane Horton from weakside linebacker temporarily. Horton hasn't started this year and is viewed as Hayes Pullard's insurance on the outside, but is versatile enough to take on new duties in an emergency. Kiffin said he's been taking snaps at middle this week in practice. That, of course, would mean Pullard would take more snaps than usual. And backup strongside linebacker Marquis Simmons (neck) is likely out for Saturday's game as well, which could muddle up the mix even more.

There's also a third option, but it's less than ideal. The Trojans could simply keep Galippo on the field throughout the game, which they did in the season opener against Minnesota.

But Tempe temperatures are expected to approach 100 degrees at game time, so that's being looked at as a last-ditch possibility.

Notes and quotes from Tuesday's practice:

• There was less outright energy present on the field, but not necessarily in a bad way. It wasn't quiet or boring, it was more of a professional, methodical atmosphere -- helped, of course, by specials team coordinator John Baxter, who has recently taken control of the megaphone during practice and shouts out updates and words of encouragement during team drills. In other words, it's game week.

• Running back Amir Carlisle was limping on what appeared to be a sore ankle but didn't show any ill effects coming off the field afterward. Tight end Christian Thomas, who's been out with a hip injury, participated in some 7-on-7 drills, and left guard Abe Markowitz sat out again because of a foot injury, but it's still possible he could be back by Saturday.

• In Markowitz' place was junior Jeremy Galten, the juco transfer who has emerged over the last few days as the likely starter at that position for the season opener. It's funny -- the guard spots have gone through so much turnover this camp, it's almost like the coaches are reverting back to what they started with by using Galten and John Martinez as the first-team guards. Other players who (unsuccessfully) auditioned for those spots at various times throughout camp include freshmen Aundrey Walker and Marcus Martin and senior Martin Coleman.

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Senior linebacker Shane Horton plays one of the many positions coach Lane Kiffin said he was going to pay special attention to in Sunday's scrimmage, as he's competing with freshman Hayes Pullard and other returners plus two freshmen for an outside linebacker spot in the Trojans' 2011 defense.

Here's what Horton had to say about it after Saturday's practice:

USC's starting middle linebacker, Chris Galippo, is 22, young by most standards, but not by his own.

The fifth-year senior is starting to feel old on the field with the Trojans, or a lot older than the incoming freshmen who are, in some cases, a full five years younger than him. His body has reacted differently to the first two practices of the fall-camp season than their bodies.

"Yesterday after practice, I felt it," Galippo said Friday. "Some of these guys that are 17 or 18 years old, they're jogging off and getting ready to go home and play video games. I'm kinda limping off and getting ready to go in the ice tub and go right to bed.

"It's just different."

He's had back issues dating back to September 2007, when he suffered a herniated disk in his second month practicing with the Trojans. It's under control of late, mostly by virtue of him sitting out the spring to nurse a sore back, but it's clearly still an ongoing thing to watch. Galippo said Friday he feels better than he ever has since the injury, but he stopped short of saying that he feels like he did when he first arrived on campus.

"That was four or five years ago," he said. "I was 17 years old then. I'm 22 now."

Regardless, rehab is the name of the game this season for him. He has only one class scheduled for the fall semester and expects to spend hours each day after practice in the training room making sure he stays as healthy as possible. It seems as if, unlike some seniors, he's directing most of his thinking toward this season exclusively -- not what could follow in the NFL later on. Perhaps that's because of the back issues. Perhaps it's simply because of Galippo's team-focused mentality.

But he's been sharp through two practices, leading a young linebacking corps and making timely plays of his own, like a tipped pass Thursday that led to a Shane Horton interception. And that's why he's going to be the Trojans' middle linebacker this season.

"That's the type of play that somebody that really understands what's going on makes," coach Lane Kiffin said of Galippo's Thursday tip. "That's what great defensive players, especially linebackers, do."

Since Kiffin's regime arrived on campus at USC until this summer, Galippo had been competing with Devon Kennard for that spot, a contentious battle that sometimes leaned one way and sometimes leaned the other. It was likely that was going to happen again this fall, until the coaches stepped in and moved Kennard back to end, his original position.

Galippo said it changes his perspective to be the main guy and not one of two anymore.

"To have the consistency and to be able to focus and not have to worry about anything, it's easier to prepare, it's easier to be more confident on the field," he said. "It's easier to mess up when you don't have someone looming over your shoulders."

There's always someone, though. Now that person is freshman Lamar Dawson, a highly-touted player from Kentucky who was given the iconic No. 55 upon his arrival at USC. Galippo said Dawson still has lot to learn in the way of the defensive playbook, and he's taking some time in camp to do what he can to teach him.

He's also leading by example on the field in his own way, he said -- by barking out calls while in a defensive set and even while on the sidelines, watching the younger players struggle to get set.

"I'm naturally extremely vocal," Galippo said Friday. "The offense thrives on me messing up, because I absolutely just talk so much in practice. And it's just part of my game that I enjoy and I think that it helps a lot of these younger guys, especially these freshmen, get a taste of how to deal with adversity.

"I think I lead in different ways. That's one of them."

Three main stories out of the first day of fall camp Thursday: Defensive end Armond Armstead expects to be cleared by the season opener, running back Dillon Baxter is bigger, stronger and faster than ever before and quarterback Matt Barkley has a new roommate keeping him up at night in camp. Here's the rest of what went on at Howard Jones Field:

A cheery Kiffin

Now that was rare.

USC coach Lane Kiffin was positively delighted throughout his seven minutes with reporters at the conclusion of Thursday's fall camp opener, taking the time to credit his players and members of his support staff for their offseason dedication. He was clearly enthused about the way his team began practice, and, for Kiffin, that actually means something.

He's not always happy about his squad. But he had good reason to be Thursday, as the Trojans looked sharp all-around, especially considering there's still a month and 28 practices to go until the season opener against Minnesota on Sept. 3. There were no pads, which is a valid reason to hold most judgment, but there were still hits here and there. For a first day, it was close to as good as it gets.

"We look different than we did a year ago," Kiffin said after practice. "Even than we did in the spring. We look bigger, we look faster, we look stronger. I know it's Day 1, but I love where they're at, physically and mentally.

"Now we've got to put all this talent and all this hard work they've done and put the pieces into place."

To help put those pieces together, Kiffin had a simple message stenciled in white paint just inside the doors on USC's Howard Jones Field: "No distractions."

Waiting on a select few

Two freshmen are still home finishing up summer-school classes at their high schools, Kiffin said: tight end Junior Pomee and running back Javorious 'Buck' Allen.

Pomee's in nearby Moreno Valley; Allen is in Tallahassee. USC hopes both players will be in Los Angeles as soon as this weekend.

Other players the Trojans are waiting on include sophomore receiver Markeith Ambles and redshirt junior running back Curtis McNeal. Ambles, who had one catch as a freshman in 2010, is being held out of practice by USC's coaching staff for the final days of summer school while he focuses on maintaining his eligibility.

McNeal is practicing but has not yet received official word on his eligibility for the upcoming season. He missed 2010 while academically ineligible.

Highlights

The best-looking play of the day went to senior linebacker Chris Galippo, who smartly tipped a Matt Barkley pass into the hands of Shane Horton for a pick six the other way. Kiffin praised Galippo after practice for being alert on the play. The reason he was able to make the tough play, Kiffin implied, was that he knew exactly which play was coming once the offense lined up in a specific trips set, as they had only installed one in practice preparation.

Still, other players didn't pick up on it like Galippo did, Kiffin said.

The other top defensive play was made by safety Drew McAllister, who came up out of nowhere to snare a Max Wittek pass near the end of practice.

Offensively, sophomore De'Von Flournoy caught two deep passes from Barkley on the day, including one that included a tough adjustment over his back shoulder to grab the ball. Second-year receivers Robert Woods and Kyle Prater also caught pretty deep balls from Barkley.

Freshman running back Amir Carlisle fumbled three times but broke off several long runs and earned thoughtful praise from Kiffin.

Injury news

Aside from those injured in the offseason, defensive back Patrick Hall (knee) and defensive end DeVante Wilson (knee), the only player who was held out of practice Friday was freshman center Cody Temple (back).

But eight players missed time throughout the three-hour practice because of cramping, including Prater and defensive end Nick Perry. Perry missed the conditioning drills at the end of practice because of foot cramps.

Final notes

The first-string offensive line layout Thursday went like this, left to right: Matt Kalil, Jeremy Galten, Khaled Holmes, John Martinez, Kevin Graf. At other contentious spots, Dion Bailey led off as one outside linebacker and Demetrius Wright started opposite T.J. McDonald at strong safety... After the second no-pads day Friday, a 5:15 p.m. practice, USC will put on shoulder pads for Saturday and Sunday's practices and then move into full pads beginning Monday, per NCAA policy...In a statement, USC vice president of athletic compliance David Roberts praised a bill passed this week by California governor Jerry Brown that is expected to punish agents who victimize student-athletes in the state.

There are two Mondays left until spring practice officially kicks off for USC on March 22. On each of those Mondays, we'll preview one-sixth of the Trojans' depth chart and eye potential risers and fallers during the monthlong springtime. We began four weeks ago with quarterbacks and running backs and continued three weeks ago with receivers and tight ends, two weeks ago with offensive linemen and last week with defensive linemen. This week, we look at both linebackers and defensive backs as we begin to close up shop, keeping in mind that all freshman who can't practice until the fall are automatically at the bottom of the depth chart:

Strongside linebacker

1. Chris Galippo, redshirt senior
2. Ross Cumming, senior
3. Lamar Dawson, freshman (won't enroll until fall)
4. Charles Burks, freshman (won't enroll until fall)

Galippo could, honest to goodness, end up starting at any of three positions on the linebacking corps -- or all three, too. But the strongside is probably the most likely place he'll start off at at, simply because he's better built for the position than any of the Trojans' other linebacking options aside from Devon Kennard.

Cumming's a very valuable backup and perhaps the best special-teams player on the roster. Burks is a sure bet to redshirt; Dawson is not at all and could very well end up playing significant snaps in 2011 as a first-year freshman.

Middle linebacker

1. Devon Kennard, junior
2. Dallas Kelley, junior
3. Will Andrew, redshirt sophomore
4. Anthony Sarao, freshman (won't enroll until fall)

Kennard playing middle linebacker in 2010 wasn't exactly the hit the Trojans' coaching staff envisioned it being, but it makes a lot of sense at this point to stick with it and allow one of the team's smartest players to mentally adjust to playing one position and one position only.

This is not a done deal, though. He could play strongside too, and he could also drop down and play some defensive end at times. Neither of those would surprise me. Kelley, although undersized, was a nice get as a junior college player because of his physical development. Unlike Sarao and even Andrew, a walk-on, Kelley could presumably hold his own in a pinch in a game in the fall.

Weakside linebacker

1. Shane Horton, redshirt senior
2. Marquis Simmons, redshirt sophomore
3. Hayes Pullard, redshirt freshman
4. Tre Madden, freshman (won't enroll until fall)

Horton's one of the least-talked about seniors on this roster, a guy who Lane Kiffin openly -- and memorably -- called out for poor play in 2009 but went on to earn significant praise over the course of the year as a spot starter and valuable reserve. He won't be a world-beater if he ends up starting, but he screams serviceable piece who makes a lot of a sense as a stop-gap measure while Madden and Dawson ready for prime time.

Simmons and Pullard are both very inexperienced; Madden could redshirt but is not a guarantee.

Left cornerback

1. Nickell Robey, sophomore
2. T.J. Bryant, redshirt junior
3. Patrick Hall, redshirt freshman
4. Ryan Henderson, freshman (won't enroll until fall)

Robey's a surefire starter, an undersized player who took a chance the coaches gave him in fall camp last year and ran with it all the way to December, starting every one of the Trojans' 13 games and performing fairly well overall. He had his bad moments and bad games, but Robey showed shades of early ballhawk-ness and consistently impressed as a tackler.

Bryant had a disappointing year and is nearing full-on bust status in Troy. He needs a big-time season in 2011, probably as either a nickel or dime back, to save himself in the coaches' eyes. Hall has a lot of work to do to get to a point where he could see legitimate defensive snaps.

Henderson will likely redshirt.

Strong safety

1. Drew McAllister, redshirt junior
2. Jawanza Starling, junior
3. Dion Bailey, redshirt freshman

McAllister missed all of last season with a hip injury and was able to redshirt the year after he underwent surgery in October. He was one of the players who seemed forgotten in some circles last year but was really a sorely missed piece on the Trojans' defensive unit. He is, for all intents and purposes, their best playmaking defensive back, and it'll be interesting to see if he retains that specific skill after his return from injury.

Starling started until the Oregon game before losing his spot to Marshall Jones, but he could still play an important role this season. His main issue last year involved mistaken routes to tackle ballcarriers, and it troubled him often in most of USC's games. Fix that, and he could easily start.

Bailey's interesting, as he is also playing some strongside linebacker in winter workouts and sounds set on finding his way into the lineup this season at that spot, not on safety. But he's still small for the linebacker spot, and he's probably a better fit at safety in the long term.

Free safety

1. T.J. McDonald, junior
2. Marshall Jones, redshirt senior
3. Demetrius Wright, redshirt freshman
4. Tony Burnett, junior

McDonald is probably the best player on the entire defensive unit, a junior to-be who will enter the season as a top underclassman. He has everything NFL scouts like to see in a young player, including the smarts for the position, and he still retains some ability to grow into his lanky frame. He'll be the cornerstone of the defensive backfield.

Jones is another solid backup but also a guy who will be jonesing for starting snaps. He didn't do badly in his opportunities last year, but, with McAllister back in the fold, there isn't really an obvious spot for him to play in 2011.

Same for Wright and Burnett, two players who looked good in their limited opportunities last season -- Wright in practice and Burnett in the Notre Dame and UCLA games.

Right cornerback

1. Torin Harris, redshirt sophomore
2. Brian Baucham, redshirt junior
3. Anthony Brown, redshirt freshman
4. Isiah Wiley, junior (won't enroll until fall)

This is probably the most unsettled spot on the defense, with Harris maybe the leading candidate to start on opening day but also a leading candidate to frustrate Kiffin and the coaches again and again with his inconsistent play.

Baucham has yet to put it all together in what will now be his fourth year at USC, but he has the size and athletic ability to start -- as does Brown, who has impressed in winter workouts but is still very inexperienced. Wiley will come in as a junior but will assuredly be hurt by the fact that he wasn't able to qualify for spring enrollment.

Any of these four guys could end up starting come September.

That's it for today. We'll be back next week, just one day before the official start of spring practice, for a quick, concluding look at the special-teams units.

Notes, quotes and video from Wednesday's practice:

• Lane Kiffin said earlier in the week that two positions -- strong safety and left guard -- were up for grabs this week, but it appears that another spot, middle linebacker, is also a re-opened competition. Devon Kennard has started the first eight games of the season at the spot but has had "some ups and downs," in Kiffin's words. Thus, Chris Galippo, who started the last two games at weakside linebacker in Malcolm Smith's place, has been granted an opportunity to compete for the Mike spot this week. "He's played well at times," Kiffin said of Kennard, adding that the sophomore hasn't been fully healthy in a few weeks. "It’s kind of been a work in progress." More on this further down, including Kennard's comments on the decision.

• At safety, incumbent Jawanza Starling continues to battle backup Marshall Jones for the right to start Saturday against Arizona State. Starling, a true sophomore who struggled mightily against the rampant play-action fakes Oregon used last week, said he has embraced the challenge: "Competition breeds the best in people, or the worst in people," he said after Wednesday's practice. "It's up to me now just to get better."

• At guard, Michael Reardon, a converted center, is challenging Butch Lewis for the starting spot. Lewis, we noted Tuesday, has lost his starting spot at USC in each of the last four seasons -- truly a remarkable note. Reardon said Wednesday that offensive line coach James Cregg pulled him aside Tuesday and told him to seize his opportunity, as he would be playing with the starters in practice. "You always strive to be a [starter]," he said. "And if the opportunity comes, you can't look back." Meanwhile, Lewis, still rotating in at both right tackle and left guard, appeared to play a lot more spirited than he did against Oregon, when he was largely manhandled by a much-smaller Ducks defensive line.
  

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Sixteen USC football players and associate head coach John Baxter -- accompanied by the USC Song Girls and Trojan Marching Band -- made a trip to the Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center on Monday to visit with a number of kids at the Children's Hospital.

With an off day for the bye week, the team spent a couple of hours visiting with children in the eighth-floor playroom and then splitting up and visiting children all around the hospital. A hospital spokesperson said the Trojans have been coming annually since Pete Carroll became the coach at USC. Current coach Lane Kiffin did not attend this year but kept the tradition going.

Cool sights: kicker Joe Houston teaching a 14-year-old how to throw a football when the preferred expert -- quarterback Mitch Mustain -- was in another room, receiver Ronald Johnson pretending to be "el novio" -- the boyfriend -- of a young Spanish-speaking girl as two Song Girls joked with her and tight end Jordan Cameron holding an infant while his mom smiled big and watched and hospital staff snapped pictures.

Among those who made the trip: Mustain, fullbacks Stanley Havili and Hunter Simmons, receivers Kyle Prater and Johnson, tight end Jordan Cameron, linebackers Shane Horton, Michael Morgan and Hayes Pullard, defensive tackles Christian Tupou and Derek Simmons, defensive ends Wes Horton and James Boyd, safety Marshall Jones and Houston.

Photos from the event are here, with a video showing some of the playroom activities and one-on-one video interviews with two of the players below.

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Wes Horton, a redshirt sophomore defensive end, has missed the last three games because of an injured back after leading the team in sacks through four games. But he still went on the trip -- and seemed to enjoy it, too. He and Cameron had to be told to leave one young patient's room when the team was readying to depart.

See what Horton had to say about the visit:



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Morgan was one of two captains to make the trip, with Havili also coming. See what Morgan said about the experience and what it meant for him -- and, more important -- what it meant for the kids:



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See some of what the Trojans did with the children at the hospital in this quick video that takes you around the playroom:

Notes, quotes and video from Thursday's practice:

• The mood at practice was clearly enthusiastic Thursday, especially in the final scrimmage drills that wrapped it up. On one particularly yell-inducing play, quarterback Matt Barkley dropped a Wildcat-formation pass from running back Marc Tyler when middle linebacker Devon Kennard closed in on him. If one key part was different than in past practices, it was a definite uptick in pressure from the defense line -- something the Trojans have been sorely lacking all season long. "The tempo was upbeat again," Barkley said afterward. "Guys were pumped up, guys were heated, and we need to continue that this weekend."

• Injury report: defensive end Wes Horton (back), linebacker Malcolm Smith (knee), running back Dillon Baxter (toes) and Jordan Cameron (knee) did not practice. Defensive end Nick Perry (ankle), linebacker Shane Horton (groin) and right tackle Tyron Smith were listed as limited. Cameron, who suffered a bone bruise in his left knee in the first half of the Stanford game but finished out the game, said the swelling has gone down significantly since Tuesday and, accordingly, he hopes to play against Cal on Saturday. "I think I'll be good," Cameron said Thursday. "I think I'll be ready to go."

• Baxter was still sporting crutches at practice, although he said afterward that all but one of the toes he originally sprained on his left foot have healed. The only one still hurting is his big toe, he said, which he hopes will be better within a few days. Baxter also talked about the throw to Stanley Havili from Tyler out of the Wildcat formation that missed by inches. As USC coach Lane Kiffin mentioned after the game, the play was designed to be thrown by Baxter -- but his injury just plays before it prevented him from being out there, and he wasn't happy about it. "Man, my crutches went everywhere," he said about the play. "I was hot. That was my play. But we're gonna come back. You'll see it again."

• Kiffin was asked about Cal defensive leader and linebacker Mike Mohamed, who was out for the Bears' only bad performance this season, a 52-31 loss to Nevada on the road on a Friday night last month. The coach dismissed that game from Cal simply as an aberration on defense. "I think that's he a real good tackler," Kiffin said first on Mohamed before switching gears. "But I don't really count that game. You see those games happen all the time. You go on the road, play a conference that's not a major conference and it's a Thursday or Friday night game. You follow that for years, those things happen. All the sudden you see the upsets when those teams go on the road. ... I really discount that game, especially because their offense is so different [than ours.] I look at the other games and what they've done and they've basically completely shut down everyone else they've played."

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