Jawanza Starling, SS, USC Trojans: 2013 NFL Draft Player Profile
November 17, 2012; Pasadena, CA, USA; UCLA Bruins quarterback Brett Hundley (17) scores a touchdown past USC Trojans safety Jawanza Starling (29) in the first quarter at the Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
Height: 6’1″
Weight: 202 pounds
Position Rank:
Drafted By:
40 Yard Dash: 4.56
Bench Press: 17
Vertical Jump: 36″
Broad Jump: 124″
20-Yard Shuttle: 4.34
Career Highlights (via USC athletics site)
CAREER: He has 86 tackles and 1 interception in his career. He has 20 career starts.
2012: The veteran Starling will start for his third season at strong safety as a senior in 2012.
2011: Starling started for his second season at strong safety as a junior in 2011 and played solidly. Overall in 2011 while starting 11 games (he missed the Colorado game), he had 48 tackles, including 3.5 for losses, plus 2 fumble recoveries (1 for a TD) and 2 deflections. He injured his ribs and shoulder against Stanford and missed the Colorado game. He won USC’s 2011 Co-Lifter of the Year Award.
He had 1 tackle against Minnesota, 2 tackles versus Utah and Syracuse, 5 tackles and a deflection against Arizona State, 4 tackles against Arizona and 6 tackles (1 for a loss) at California. He had 4 tackles (0.5 for loss) and made a momentum-changing 80-yard fumble return for a TD (USC’s longest scoring fumble return since Zeke Moreno’s 80-yarder at Oregon State in 2000) at Notre Dame. He then had 5 tackles against Stanford, 4 tackles (1 for a loss) and a deflection against Washington, 6 tackles (1 for a loss) and a fumble recovery at Oregon and 9 tackles versus UCLA.
2010: Starling started USC’s first 9 games at strong safety as a sophomore in 2010, then was sidelined the final 4 games with a strained hamstring. Overall in 2010, he had 37 tackles, an interception and a deflection. He had 5 tackles against both Hawaii and Virginia, 4 tackles and an interception at Minnesota, 3 tackles and a deflection at Washington State, 7 tackles against Washington, 5 tackles at Stanford, 2 tackles against California, 5 tackles against Oregon and 1 tackle against Arizona State before injuring his hamstring.
2009: Starling saw limited action as a backup free safety and played on special teams as a first-year freshman in 2009. Overall in 2009 while appearing in 9 games (all but San Jose State, Ohio State, Washington, Arizona State), he had 1 tackle (at California). He strained his hamstring at Oregon and missed the Arizona State game
2012 Stats
| G | Int. | Yards | TD | Int./G |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 | 3 | 52 | 0 | 0.23 |
| G | Solo | Assisted | Total | Total/G |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 | 24 | 18 | 42 | 3.23 |
| G | TFL | TFL Yards | TFL/G |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13 | 1.0 | 1 | 0.08 |
| G | Passes Broken Up | QB Hurries | Fumbles Forced | Kicks/Punts Blocked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Scouting Report/Player Notes
Starling showed pretty average overall athletic ability at the Scouting Combine compared to other safeties, but he had his best collegiate season as a senior and is worth taking a look at in the later rounds. He’s a really well-built kid coming from a good program, and he showed some ball skills in 2012 that weren’t there in previous seasons. T.J. McDonald got all the attention at USC at the safety position, but this guy wasn’t too bad himself. He will have to make his mark on special teams to get a crack at a starting job or job in a rotation in the NFL, but I think his senior season he showed he has a bit of upside.
Video Highlights (via YouTube)