USC receiver Nelson Agholor gets his turn to lead — and does

Nelson Agholor is meticulous.

USC’s star receiver studies film of opponents in the McKay Center, and then for hours nightly at home.

Agholor’s attention to detail is evident — and not only when he’s making clutch catches, as he did in last week’s victory at Stanford.

During a practice this week, Agholor and other receivers stood on the sideline preparing to begin a drill. Agholor wiped his eyes and face with a paper towel. Most players discard items such as tape or towels onto the turf for student managers to clean up later.

Agholor spied a trash receptacle and jogged over to toss it in.

“It helps in life,” he said of being mindful, “because it’s something that goes further than football and it translates to football.”

After two seasons as an understudy to All-Americans Robert Woods and Marqise Lee, Agholor has emerged this season as quarterback Cody Kessler’s top target.

The junior from Florida caught two touchdown passes in the Trojans’ opening rout of Fresno State.

On the first, he outmuscled a defender and then leaped to catch a short pass near the left corner of the end zone. On the second, he nimbly split defenders and caught a laser from Kessler on the right side of the end zone.

Agholor had a career-best nine catches in USC’s 13-10 victory at Stanford Stadium last week, a win that propelled USC to No. 9 in the Associated Press media poll heading into Saturday’s nonconference game at Boston College.

Five of Agholor’s receptions came on third down, including a 29-yard catch-and-run during the Trojans’ game-deciding field-goal drive in the fourth quarter.

Offensive coordinator Clay Helton said Agholor’s experience alongside Woods and Lee paid off against the Cardinal.

“Now he’s having the opportunity to make some big-time plays in a big-time game,” Helton said. “You could see his maturity and the amount of experience that’s in his game right now.”

Kessler, who has been housemates with Agholor, trusts the fellow team captain. Kessler noted the receiver’s knack for getting open when the quarterback has to scramble.

“Nelson isn’t good at just one factor of the game,” Kessler said. “He can run the deep ball … he can also do short game, do the quick game, be physical over the middle. It results in him getting a lot of catches.”

Agholor’s production has steadily increased in his two-plus seasons.

As a freshman, Agholor was the third option behind Woods and Lee, who rank first and second in career catches at USC. Agholor caught 19 passes, two for touchdowns.

Last season, with Lee the returning Biletnikoff Award winner, six of Agholor’s 56 catches went for touchdowns. He also scored twice in one game on punt returns.

This season, the 6-foot-1, 190-pound Agholor is the Trojans’ go-to receiver.

“My job is to make plays that come my way,” he said. “I don’t look at roles or labels.”

Woods and Lee both made themselves available for the NFL draft after their junior seasons. The Buffalo Bills chose Woods in the second round in 2013. The Jacksonville Jaguars made Lee a second-round pick in 2014.

As a junior, Agholor will be eligible for the 2015 NFL draft.

“He’s quick, with good body control and hands,” said an NFL team scout, who requested anonymity because he is not authorized by his organization to speak publicly about prospects. “The quarterback almost relies on him too much. He’s a definite pro prospect.”

One who still has work to do during practice, Agholor said.

“We literally have to physically take him out or he’ll take every single rep,” Coach Steve Sarkisian said.

Agholor’s example is not lost on USC’s younger players.

Sophomore Darreus Rogers considers Agholor “a natural born leader.”

“He likes to see other dudes making the same plays that he makes,” Rogers said. “Everything he says, I just try to take it in and listen so I can be as great as he is.”

Agholor described his film study as a “therapeutic” exercise that helps him against opponents.

Freshmen such as JuJu Smith are following Agholor’s lead.

“He invites me over to his house, he has a big projector and we just go over stuff like that,” Smith said. “He’s like my mentor.”

Agholor is comfortable in the role.

With Woods and Lee gone to the NFL, he is not shy about encouraging teammates to prepare, practice hard and pay attention to details.

Agholor is animated and effusive when they perform well.

“I love to congratulate them when they make plays,” he said, “because it shows that I care, and it’s going to go far for us.”

Times staff writer Sam Farmer and correspondent Lindsey Thiry contributed to this report.