Tag: Erwin Taomi

Maybe Erwin Taomi will need to help USC’s 2024 offensive line, but the initial reaction from USC coaches is that this is more of a developmental project than a quick roster fix.

Luca Evans of the Orange County Register has more (subscription required):

“I want us to be a developmental program, and certainly the lines of scrimmage and not going very portal-heavy at all, really, on either one, I think showed that we’re doubling down on that notion,” Riley said.

Riley had also admitted after USC’s first spring practice in March, however, that the program’s depth at tackle was “a little bit of a concern.” Taomi, who stands 6-foot-6 and weighs 335 pounds, fills an immediate need while also offering developmental upside, a 19-year-old who’s played one season of junior college.

“I definitely think he was brought in to help the O-line room,” (high school coach Pepe) Villasenor said. “Apparently, they were short on some numbers, but I think Coach Henson felt like this young man – with some development and some experience – can definitely develop into a potential starter in the future.”

Visit our friends at Fighting Irish Wire, Buffaloes Wire, and Ducks Wire. Follow our newest sites, UW Huskies Wire and UCLA Wire.

Check out more NFL draft coverage with the USA TODAY Sports NFL Draft Hub.

New USC offensive lineman Erwin Taomi didn’t follow a smooth and linear path to the Trojans. Three years ago, coming from Anchorage, Alaska, he was adrift and not doing the things he needed to do. He did know, however, that he really wanted to play for USC. His favorite player was Troy Polamalu. There was a hope, but that hope wasn’t connected to a vision or the discipline needed to fulfill it. That’s where Taomi’s coach at St. Joseph High School, Pepe Villasenor, came in, as reported by Luca Evans of the Orange County Register:

After one practice in the beginning of his senior year, Villasenor drove Taomi home. He started lighting the kid up. He’d been goofing off at practice. He’d gotten in trouble for not wearing proper attire. So Villasenor gave him some tough love, unsure how he’d respond.

The next day, when Villasenor drove him again, Taomi’s eyes started welling up.

“Coach,” Villasenor recalled Taomi telling him, “I’ll never disappoint you again.”

By the end of his time at St. Joseph, Taomi’s GPA had risen about a full point. He’d become like a son to Crisp, and anyone at St. Joseph would do anything for him, Villasenor said. And the kid from Alaska will get the shot he’s always longed for.

“I feel like I’m actually within a movie script, you know what I mean?” Villasenor said.

Now the script goes to Hollywood and USC. The Trojans are hoping for another feel-good plot twist.

Visit our friends at Fighting Irish Wire, Buffaloes Wire, and Ducks Wire. Follow our newest sites, UW Huskies Wire and UCLA Wire.

Check out more NFL draft coverage with the USA TODAY Sports NFL Draft Hub.