Wednesday, September 9, 2020

USC offensive lineman Alijah Vera-Tucker declares for NFL Draft

USC offensive lineman Alijah Vera-Tucker announced on Wednesday that he is opting out of the coming college football season to declare for the NFL Draft.

Vera-Tucker, who made the announcement on Twitter, was USC’s starting left guard last season but seemed poised to move to left tackle in 2020 before the season was postponed by the Pac-12.

He spent part of his announcement thanking his parents and the coaches at USC for helping him reach this point, as well as his teammates.

“The bond here is real, and I appreciate all of you striving to get better every day, setting the example for one another, and staying focused on our goals,” Vera-Tucker wrote. “Best believe I’m going to miss this family and playing with you. There is nothing like putting on that USC uniform and running out of that tunnel at the (Coliseum) with y’all.”

Vera-Tucker is the second USC player to decide to opt out of the coming college football season. In August, defensive tackle Jay Tufele made his announcement that he was declaring for the draft and he then signed with an agent.

Vera-Tucker has been pegged by some analysts as a potential first-round pick in the coming draft. He considered leaving school last winter, but returned for his redshirt junior season.

As a sophomore, Vera-Tucker was named to the All-Pac-12 second team and the AP All-Pac-12 first team.

Without Vera-Tucker, USC is left to replace three starters on the offensive line. Last year’s left tackle, Austin Jackson, is on the Miami Dolphins after declaring early for the draft, and starting right tackle Drew Richmond graduated.

Posted by: https://anaheimsigns.com

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