Trojans Land a Talented Safety Commit in Bubba Bolden

After a long recruiting process that included a commitment and a subsequent de-commitment, Bubba Bolden has reaffirmed his intentions to attend USC next fall. The 4-star Army All-American is a huge pickup for the Trojans as he is the 55th best player in the nation and 6th best safety according to the 247Sports Composite Rankings. In addition, Bolden’s pledge moves USC up to 12 in the 247Sports team rankings as the Trojans look to close out the 2017 class on a high note.

As his high ratings indicate, Bolden is a very talented player. At 6’3” 190 lbs., he has tremendous size that will only improve as he spends time in a college weight program. This is a frightening prospect for USC’s future opponents as Bolden is already an extremely physical player who loves to deliver huge hits. In fact, many people around SC compare Bolden to former Trojan star Taylor Mays due to his impressive athletic ability and tendency to punish wide receivers over the middle of the field.

Bolden is not the athletic freak of nature that Mays once was, but he plays with a mean streak very reminiscent of the three time All-American. The Bishop Gorman product is quick and agile for his size, but he does not have the speed to keep up with shifty slot receivers or fast straight line runners on the outside. Bolden’s primary responsibilities at USC will likely be to cover tight ends and running backs out of the back field where his physicality can be used to matchup with players much larger than your typical cornerback or safety. Bolden can also be used as a rover-type safety who plays in the middle of the field and can help in deep coverage or come up into the box and help against the run. The versatility Bolden provides should be extremely valuable to defensive coordinator Clancy Pendergrast.

With Leon McQuay graduating and Marvell Tell continuing to underperform, Bolden does have a chance to earn playing time early in his career at USC. Chris Hawkins is a sure starter at one safety spot, but there will be opportunities alongside him in the defensive backfield. Coming in to his USC career, Tell was expected to be a massive contributor with huge upside. Unfortunately, he has continued to be extremely inconsistent, opening up the possibility of Bolden potentially taking some snaps from him as early as next season.

Another advantage in coming to SC is Pendergrast’s tendency to utilize three safeties in certain packages. There were various sets Pendergrast used this season where McQuay, Hawkins, and Tell were all on the field at the same time. Especially with the Pac-12 being the most pass-happy conference in America, Bolden could certainly challenge to take some of McQuay’s snaps in 2017. Plus, if Tell is unable to gain the consistency to become a full-time starter, Bolden could also take his place in certain packages. It is unlikely that Bolden earns a starting job coming out of fall camp as a freshman, but he should be able to crack the two-deep depth chart and earn valuable experience in his debut season in cardinal and gold.

Bolden’s pledge is a huge pickup for USC. The Trojans have been very strong in DB recruiting over the past few cycles, but underperformance from Tell and Ykili Ross combined with John Plattenburg’s injury problems and McQuay’s graduation make safety a potentially shallow group in 2017. Bolden could certainly help solve this issue early in his career by contributing as a valuable backup to Hawkins and Tell. Then, once Hawkins graduates after next season, Bolden is most likely the early favorite to take over his starting job.

The Army All-American is still raw in certain areas of his game most notably in coverage, but his physicality and athleticism should make him a lock to avoid a redshirt season. If he can improve this area of his game, put on some weight, and avoid unnecessary roughness penalties, Bolden could easily be at least a two-year starter for the Trojans before jumping to the NFL. On a slightly less important note, Bolden’s commitment could also help USC’s recruiting efforts at powerhouse Bishop Gorman in years to come. No matter which way this is spun, Bolden’s pledge is a huge win for USC that should pay dividends for years to come.