Matt Barkley Jersey - Matt Barkley

The nation's top quarterback, has made his decision. For the class of 2009. Who would have thought that next year's top passer would make his decision before this year's? Well, that's exactly what happened.

Santa Ana (Calif.) Mater Dei quarterback Matt Barkley, the top quarterback prospect in the country in the class of 2009, has made his college decision, 13 months before he'll sign his letter-of-intent.

“Today I called Coach (Pete) Carroll to give him my commitment to becoming a Trojan,” said Barkley. “I am very excited about my decision, it is one that my family and I have given serious consideration to and have prayed about a great deal.”

The lifelong Trojan fan had been a lean to USC ever since they offered him in the spring, if not well before then, and talked about why he made his decision.

“I chose USC because I simply love the football program and because of the great education I will receive. There is an incredible tradition of competition, excellence, enthusiasm and winning that I am excited to be a part of. I have the greatest respect for Coach Carroll, Coach Sarkisian and the entire coaching staff and what they have accomplished. I look forward to playing football for them.”

That pretty much secures the QB position for a LONG time. If you didn't know, Matt Barkley is the first junior to win the Gatorade Player of the Year award. He is currently ranked the #1 overall player in the nation in the Class of 2009 by Rivals.com. I've seen a good amount of Matt's games this year and the kid has a pro-caliber arm and solid decision-making skills. The thing I love about this kid is his character, intelligence, and maturity. Much like Mark Sanchez, I think it will be his mental approach to the game that will make him an elite QB at the next level.

If there is a knock on him, it's definitely his footwork. He's a bit flat-footed at times and isn't mobile, but that will improve with time. I don't see Matt Barkley retaining the #1 overall player honor by next Winter, simply because he lost all of his experienced receivers and will likely have to battle the growing pains of a new class. But without a doubt we have an elite QB on our hands, and with this commitment, not only do we seal the QB position for a long time, but should be a major draw for elite receivers to come and play for SC.

Matt Barkley Jersey
USC News
Home

Syndicated content not available