USC football recruiting: scouting take on Rasheem Green and John Houston

Here's the counter punch to what UCLA did this morning. USC stills owns LA in recruiting and got two huge commitments from high school teammates Rasheem Green and John Houston.

They are not just two of the top defenders on the west coast, but two of the defensive recruits in the nation. What kind of players are the Trojans getting in Green and Houston?

Rasheem Green - 5 star defensive tackle

When football coaches think of a 3 technique, I'm pretty sure they envision someone who looks just like Rasheem Green. He's a big, long athlete that moves incredibly well for his size.

He has an explosive first step and is one gap penetrator that consistently disrupts plays in the backfield. He definitely showed better quickness and punch as a senior and should only get better. He uses his length really well to disengage from blockers and his lateral movement allows him to finish plays with tackles behind the line of scrimmage. He holds up really well at the point of attack with plays run right at him.

He's athletic enough to play defensive end if needed, but he has better pass rush potential from the interior. He flashes some violent hands with his pass rush moves and he should be a nightmare for slower footed guards to handle inside.

His potential is through the roof and he has the chance to be an even better college player than he was in high school.

John Houston - 4 star linebacker

It's crazy to say, but Houston is also a player who is just scratching the surface as to how good he can be. He has a big frame with great length and should be able to add significant weight once in college. He has good speed and lateral agility.

Right now, Houston is more an efficient player than an explosive one. His recognition skills are outstanding and he is always around the football, but he's not lighting up kids with the type of big hits that garner a lot of attention. He uses his length well to take on blocks and pursue to the football. Not many young players are good with their hands in disengaging the way Houston is. He's extremely advanced in this area.

He's not a great blitzer, but could be a lot better once he adds some more strength at USC. One thing I love about his game though is that he always continues to work to make a play. He doesn't stay blocked.

He shows loose hips in coverage and his length is once again a huge asset because he could be the kind of player who might struggle against smaller quicker players, but that length helps make up for it.

He's another awesome piece to the linebackers they have already signed in this recruiting class.