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Which new Bulls could contribute immediately?

Some of Wednesday's USF signees have a bona fide shot at playing right away on defense.
 
Published Dec. 19, 2018|Updated Dec. 19, 2018

Now that the paperwork on 19 USF football recruits is official , we can commence the speculation on which ones could contribute right away.

At this stage, that exercise is almost as much of a crapshoot as recruiting rankings — almost. Based on USF's depth chart, we can venture some educated guesses on who could push the redshirt rule next season (playing in at least four games), or who could avoid a redshirt altogether.

With that in mind, here are the guys we believe could play significantly in 2019.

DE Jason Vaughn. Three of the four defensive ends on the Bulls' Gasparilla Bowl depth chart are seniors. Vaughn, a former TCU commitment, could crack the d-line rotation if he brandishes any kind of edge-rushing chops. And at 6-foot-5, 225 pounds, one must presume his frame could segue from rangy to robust in a hurry.

CB McArthur Burnett. A former Gators backup with a year of juco ball under his belt, Burnett could plug himself into the cornerback (or nickel back) battle instantly. The Bulls are bidding farewell to CB Mazzi Wilkins, backup Chris Barr and starting nickel Ronnie Hoggins.

LB Darius Williams. With Khalid McGee graduating, Greg Reaves playing out of position and Nico Sawtelle dealing with significant shoulder issues, the Bulls have glaring concerns at linebacker. Williams, who projects as an outside guy, appeared to be a run-stuffing force at Norland. We wouldn't be shocked to see him join a linebacker derby that could include a transfer or two.

CB Jayden Curry. This Virginia native had offers from at least a half-dozen Power Five programs, and spent his last two seasons at IMG, where the level of competition isn't too shabby.

DE Tyrik Jones. We're still learning about Jones, who played for Arizona Western CC in 2017 but isn't listed on the 2018 roster. That said, he possesses a ready-made frame (6-2, 235) and his highlight footage has been pretty telling. Again, the defensive end spots are wide open in '19.