McDonald Continues Trojan Tradition

USC picked up another verbal for the class of 2009, and this one comes from another Trojan legacy, the third commitment from that class who's following in a family member's footsteps, and it comes from one of the best safety prospects in the country...

For T.J. McDonald, the junior safety from Fresno (Calif.) Edison, it was a matter of when, not if, he'd commit to USC.

Receiving an offer from the Trojans last Saturday, McDonald took a couple of days to think about the decision. On Thursday night, he'd thought about it enough.

"I talked to my family about it last night and I committed to Coach (Rocky) Seto this morning," said McDonald.

For McDonald, its the fulfillment of a lifelong dream for him to play for the Trojans. His father, Tim, who is his coach at Edison HS, was an all-American at USC before an NFL All-Pro career with the Cardinals and 49ers.

"He got kind of emotional," said McDonald. "He was excited though. He told me yesterday that he remembered when he was making the same decision and now his son is making it.”

McDonald was at the Trojans game with UCLA this past weekend, visiting USC unofficially. He was offered over the weekend and knew at that point that his lifelong dream of playing for USC was close to becoming a reality.

“I knew from that point on that I was going to commit there,” said McDonald. “I just wanted to get it out of the way and focus on my senior season and focus on my academics.”

Though he still has 14 months until Signing Day in 2009, McDonald said nothing will likely change his decision.

“Right now, they said they see me as a free safety because I’m 6-2, 190, but by the time I get there, I could be bigger and could play somewhere else,” said McDonald.

McDonald was one of four starters in the Edison secondary who will be playing major college football. Senior teammate Brandon Leslie, who he teamed with at safety, is committed to Georgia Tech while cornerback Robert Golden, the top cover man in the West, has a trio of Pac-10 schools he’s still considering. Fellow junior Cliff Harris has a couple of offers and he and McDonald will give the Tigers another stellar secondary next year. Coupled with those two is Rolando Jefferson, the top receiver prospect in the West in the class of 2009.

“I’m trying to persuade them a little bit to go to USC but whatever the best for them is, that’s what they should do,” said McDonald.

McDonald becomes the fifth commitment in the class of 2009 for the Trojans, joining lineman Kevin Graf, linebacker Marquis Simmons, receiver Randall Carroll and tight end Morrell Presley.