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Name: AJ Turner
Position: Running Back
Height/Weight: 5'11, 180 pounds
Hometown: Clifton, VA
Rating: 247Sports: Three Star Rivals: Three Star ESPN: Three Star
Turner was the first of two running backs to commit in the 2015 class and currently projected to act as an all purpose back. He chose USC over offers from the Ohio State Buckeyes, Alabama Crimson Tide and Auburn Tigers among others. His primary recruiter is listed as Deke Adams, with his secondary recruiter listed as Everette Sands.
Strengths:
Turner has a decent amount of speed to allow him to get through arm tackles and out run defenders. He also shows the ability to find his running lanes and exploit them, usually resulting in a decent gain on the play. He also plays with a lot of toughness and doesn't like to go down on the first hit. He shows great ability with running north-south and often sticks with that. Once he enrolls this fall, he will be able to fill a similar role as Shon Carson and act as a good change of pace back that can pick up some decent yards. He also has some versatility as a defensive back, which could help him see the field earlier.
Weaknesses:
Turner is definitely a smaller running back, which means that he will not be used very much. Just like many other recruits in this class, he will benefit greatly from a college level S&C program. While he does posses a decent amount of speed, he doesn't have that extra gear that you see in guys like Mike Davis. He is also limited by his tendency to want to run north-south and will have to work on his ability to run east-west to get around defenders.
Overall:
Overall, Turner is a decent pickup for a running back, but with David Williams, Shon Carson and Brandon Wilds all on the roster, don't expect to see too much of Turner on offense. I have heard a few rumors that he could potentially be moved to defensive back like Jamari Smith. Either way, Turner figures to end up redshirting this year.