The countdown to USC’s 2025 football season is officially on! The Trojans kick off their new campaign 80 days from today. You need something to help you while away the days and hours in the spring and summer. This is one way to do so. In this new series, countdown to kickoff, we will be counting down the days by highlighting a notable Trojan who wore each number. Today, we take a look at former USC wide receiver Deontay Burnett.
Position: Wide receiver
Years played at USC: 2015-2017
Career highlights: After a relatively quiet freshman season, Burnett broke out towards the end of his sophomore year. As a junior in 2017, he became USC’s No. 1 receiving option, catching 86 passes for 1114 yards and nine touchdowns. In a showdown with Texas, he had eight receptions for 123 yards and two touchdowns, including one in overtime, helping lead the Trojans to a statement victory.
Burnett will forever be remembered by USC fans, however, for his performance in the 2017 Rose Bowl vs. Penn State. That afternoon in Pasadena, he had one of the best single-game performances by a receiver in program history, catching 13 passes for 164 yards and three touchdowns. One of those touchdowns was the game-tying score with 1:20 left, as the Trojans would go on to win 52-49 on a walk-off field goal by kicker Matt Boeermeester.
The call by ESPN commentator Chris Fowler—”Touchdown! Deontay Burnett with the hat trick!”—will forever be entrenched in the minds of USC fans.
After USC: Following his junior season, Burnett somewhat surprisingly declared for the 2018 NFL Draft. However, he was not selected, instead signing with the Tennessee Titans as an undrafted free agent. Between 2018 and 2020, he appeared in nine regular season NFL games and one postseason game with the New York Jets and Philadelphia Eagles, catching 16 passes for 215 yards across…
Source link : https://trojanswire.usatoday.com/story/sports/college/trojans/football/2025/06/12/usc-football-countdown-kickoff-trojans-receiver-deontay-burnett/84155920007/
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Publish date : 2025-06-12 12:44:00
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