Here’s a look at five players who exceeded expectations last year:
Chris Hawkins
For a time in 2014, it seemed as though Chris Hawkins career in cardinal and gold was doomed to end in disappointment. With a notable problem of drawing penalties and displaced as a starting cornerback by Adoree’ Jackson, Hawkins missed two of USC’s last three games and had been all but phased out of the defense by that point.
In the spring of 2015, he was switched to safety and that is where he revived his career. After strong showings in spring and fall camp, Hawkins emerged as the starting free safety and held down that role for the entirety of the season.