Desman Stephens has come a long way from the high school days when he was doing just about everything. He lined up at defensive back, ran the ball, caught passes and handled kickoff and punt returns before arriving at USC as a four-star member of the 2024 class.
That versatility eventually gave way to a much more specialized role. Stephens shifted into a full-time linebacker role with the Trojans, flashed as a freshman reserve and special teams contributor while appearing in all 13 games, then took over as the starting Mike linebacker last season and started all 13 games.
His second season was a mixed bag. Stephens had moments that stood out, but he was still learning the position and trying to settle into the center of USC’s defense. Even so, that year gave him a full season of experience at linebacker heading into 2026, and he now enters his junior year with that work behind him.
The coaching change around him could matter just as much. USC brought in defensive coordinator Gary Patterson and linebacker coach Mike Ekeler, and Stephens believes both have helped accelerate his development.
“I feel with more experience comes more knowledge and more growth,” Stephens said. “Having last year to grow and learn what I need to do, what I was good at, what I need to get better at, it was all helpful in my development.
Coach Ekeler has definitely added to me. It’s a mix, he's definitely added more tools in my toolkit, as well as me seeing the game last year and being a starter.”
Stephens also credited Patterson for making the adjustment to a new scheme feel smooth.
“His brand of defense and his technique and the fundamentals that we do on a daily and weekly basis all helps in furthering development and learning a new scheme,” Stephens said. “It's been a seamless transition because he utilizes things that he's done, things that we've done to have the best mix possible. It's been a great transition because of the teacher and the leader that he is.”
Ekeler has seen the progress too, and he said Stephens has made clear strides from spring practice into fall camp.
“From the spring, I just see the process of every single day, he's taken a step," Ekeler said. "He believes in his technique, and he's trained his eyes so well in pre-snap, understanding of everything at a very high level.”
Stephens also added 10 pounds this offseason and is listed at 6-foot-3 and 250 pounds. Even with the added bulk, he says he has not lost any speed, and Ekeler said the same during the team’s media day.
“He is moving like a DB. He can flat out fly, and he's got hips like butter," Ekeler said.
"He's a talented dude, and he just loves ball, and he's smarter than heck. He's a special player.”
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