Five USC Trojans Invited to 2023 NFL Combine

The NFL released the names of the 319 players invited to the 2023 NFL Combine, which will take place in Indianapolis from February 28 through March 6. Five USC Trojans earned invitations, the same number invited to the 2022 edition of the combine.

Here’s a look at who is headed to the event.

WR Jordan Addison

Addison is an obvious invite and a likely first-round selection in the draft. He was the Biletnikoff Award winner in 2021 after posting 100 receptions for 1,593 yards and 18 total touchdowns. His numbers dipped a bit after transferring to USC in 2022. But Addison still finished the year with 59 receptions for 875 yards and a team-high eight receiving touchdowns. Injuries played a big role in Addison’s diminished production. An ankle injury knocked him out of the first Utah game and sidelined him virtually all of the next three.

Addison returned with arguably his best performance of the season against UCLA and played in the Pac-12 Championship Game against Utah before shutting it down and sitting out the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic against Tulane.

CB Mekhi Blackmon

Blackmon wasn’t exactly a national name at Colorado, but he’s really put himself on the map after one tremendous season at USC. He was a First-Team All-Pac-12 selection and the conference’s top-graded defensive player according to PFF. Blackmon finished the season with three interceptions and 12 pass deflections. And he was a rock-steady presence for the Trojans on and off the field.

Blackmon put together a very solid performance during practices at the Senior Bowl. He will likely land on a few “Risers” lists heading into the combine.

RB Travis Dye

It’ll be worth monitoring just how healthy Dye is heading into the combine and what events in which he chooses to participate. Former USC wide receiver Drake London was in a similar situation last year due to injury. He elected to participate in only the interview process. That decision certainly didn’t hurt him. London did well at a personal pro day and became the first wide receiver selected in the draft.

The same type of draft result isn’t expected for Dye, but the invite is a solid indication as to his draft potential. After he suffered the lower leg injury against Colorado that knocked him out for the season, head coach Lincoln Riley was confident that the next snap Dye took would be in the NFL.

DL Tuli Tuipulotu

Tuipulotu was USC’s best defensive player in 2022. He led the Trojans with 22 tackles for loss and 13.5 sacks. In three years at USC — one shortened to six games and one without a bowl game — Tuipulotu finished with 116 tackles, 32 tackles for loss, 21 sacks, four forced fumbles and a fumble recovery for a touchdown.

He’s a potential first-round pick in this draft. It will be interesting to see at the combine whether he works as an interior or outside defensive lineman. That positional versatility could be something that helps him in the draft and at the next level.

OL Andrew Vorhees

Vorhees had a disappointing finish to his USC career as he missed both the Pac-12 Championship Game and Cotton Bowl due to injury. But that doesn’t diminish what he did in cardinal and gold, finishing his career as an All-American and First-Team All-Conference player.

Vorhees played every offensive line position except center during his USC career and graded out as one of the best guards in the country this past fall. He’s another Trojan where health could play a role in how much he chooses to do at the combine and whether he waits to do some things at USC’s pro day. He’s seen as a pretty solid second-round selection at this point.