With the Pac-12 season roughly a month away, USC offensive lineman Alijah Vera-Tucker has opted back in to the 2020 season.
Vera-Tucker previously announced he would not play this year and would focus on preparing for the NFL draft, however that decision came in early September when the Pac-12 was postponed until at least January 2021.
“The recent announcement that USC is able to play this season has allowed me to reevaluate my situation,” he said in a video posted to Twitter. “The opportunity to rejoin my teammates, represent the Trojan family, continue to advance toward my degree and compete for a Pac-12 championship is something I couldn’t pass up.”
The decision is a huge boost for the Trojans, who are expected to be among the top contenders in the late-arriving Pac-12 season. Vera-Tucker, a second-team AP preseason All-American, is the fifth-ranked draft-eligible guard in ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr.’s most recent rankings.
USC opens the season at Arizona State on Nov. 7.