Written by Grace DeWitt, USC blog contributor
Name: Tyler Petite Position: TE
Class: Freshman
Size: 6-foot-6 and 235 pounds
Age: 18
High School: Campolindo (Moraga, CA)
Game: From the first day Petite officially signed as a Trojan, head coach Steve Sarkisian has praised the tight end's versatility. Quick-footed at 6-foot-6, the freshman is a potentially dangerous downfield passing option who also possesses the instincts of a physical blocker. His tall frame is ideal for his position and suggests he'll be a consistent red zone target when his number gets called.
Prep Career: Petite arrived at USC as the No. 2 tight end in the nation on the ESPN 300 rankings for the class of 2015. In his senior season as a tight end and defensive end at Campolindo, Petite had 37 catches for 969 yards (26.2 avg) with 9 TDs on offense and 4 sacks, an interception, a fumble recovery and 2 forced fumbles on defense. His impressive numbers landed him on the 2014 Prep Star All-American and Max Preps All-American Small Schools first team lists, along with spots on the USA Today All-California and Max Preps All-State Division III first team.
Fall: With a wide open competition at tight end entering the fall, the freshman immediately embraced the high expectations that awaited him at USC. He's provided a consistent pass-catching option through the Trojans' first two games and will continue to have the opportunity to make plays as the season continues. As with all freshmen, the key to Petite's development is working at some of the finer points of his position, specifically his blocking, which will enable him to significantly support and enhance USC's run game.
Coach Sark on Petite: "He's a really good weapon for us. We're anxious to try and get him the ball a little more. The game hasn't been too big for him."
Here is Petite after practice this week...
