A Corvallis product, Talanoa Hufanga was ranked as the top prospect in all of Oregon and 88th-best prospect in the nation by the 247Sports Composite. Some thought he might commit to the in-state Ducks, but the four-star athlete signed with USC during the early signing period, and was on campus for spring practices.
While the young freshman will be playing safety for the Trojans, he lined up all over the field in high school – at running back, receiver, and even a little quarterback. No matter where he plays, he’s earned praise as a big-time hitter.
He’s already had a massive offseason, and has put on about 15 pounds since arriving on campus. Injuries hit the Trojans’ secondary hard, and Hufanga took advantage of the opportunity, getting reps with the first and second team defensive units. It seems like a foregone conclusion that we’ll be seeing Hufanga on the field this fall, and he’s probably in line for some meaningful snaps.