Signing Day Extra: Torian White
Name: Torian White
Position: Offensive Tackle
Rank: 41(S) / N/R(R) / 110(E)
Positional Need: 8/10
Outlook:
Well, that was fun.
White, a soft verbal to UCLA for months, originally committed to USC today on live television, only to reverse course and sign with the Bruins later in the day. Apparently, White was sold on UCLA for the duration but took the advice of some family members who favored USC. They saw his disappointment and told him to follow his heart.
UCLA is lucky he did.
With White, the Bruins class moves ever more slightly to respectability, though the group is still ranked seventh in the Pac-10. White is still somewhat of a project because he missed all of his junior year and really blew up on the camp circuit, but there is a lot to like.
White could benefit from a redshirt year to improve his upper-body strength and technique, but he could end up being a solid complement to Xavier Su'a-Filo, when he returns.
Immediate Impact: 1/10 - White should and will likely redshirt, so unless he has a Wade Yandall-type summer and just blows coaches away, I'd expect him on scout team.
Overall Impact: 7/10 - UCLA proved over the last few years that offensive line depth is crucial, and while White does not project as an all-conference-type talent, he has a very high ceiling.
Profiles:
Scout
Video:
N/A
Or more likely, he saw the stellar group of OL signings at USC, saw he wouldn't play much, and changed his mind (again).
So Jon, the real story is at the last minute he reluctantly threw on the USC hat due to advice of meddling family. Then meddling family felt bad and told him to sign with UCLA like he had wanted to all along?
The story is NOT that the USC staff said "thanks for announcing for us on TV, but oops, we no longer have room for you because we didn't realize all the big fish on the East coast announcing today would pick us, and now we're overfull..."?
Seriously?
It seems a little weird having a guy in the fold who told everyone on Tv earlier today he was picking USC. It sort of looks like he didn't want UCLA, but USC didn't have room, so now White and UCLA are awkwardly stuck with each other.
I hope he's happy, that it all works out, and my cynicism is off base.
I think the cynicism is off base. Why? Because Kiffin is too petty to let UCLA claim him back. They would have happily lost another recruit just to stick it UCLA. Had White stayed at USC, he would have played against UCLA and every time he is mentioned, his signing day switch would have been discussed. Now, it's just a head scratcher for a single day of the news cycle.