Jontez Williams is already making noise at USC, and the buzz has a number attached to it.
The Iowa State transfer cornerback checked in at No. 4 on Pro Football Focus’s top 10 returning cornerbacks for this season, a list released July 30. For a player whose 2025 season was shortened by injury, that kind of placement says plenty about how highly he’s regarded heading into 2026.
Williams arrives in Los Angeles with a résumé that backs up the attention. Over the past two seasons at Iowa State, he picked off five passes and broke up six more. Max Chadwick of PFF also pointed to one stat that jumps off the page: among FBS cornerbacks with at least 300 coverage snaps since 2023, Williams’ 25.6 passer rating allowed is the lowest.
That’s the kind of profile USC wanted when it added him to a cornerback room that needed experience. It also fits what new defensive coordinator Gary Patterson likes to do. Patterson’s 4-2-5 look leans on disguised coverages and pressure from the backend, and Williams gives him a trusted ballhawk to work with right away.
The fit feels obvious. Williams has the footspeed to stay attached in man coverage, the instincts to break on the football, and the tackling ability to hold up in space. At Iowa State, he showed enough ball production and reliability to look like a player who could have been on an All-Big 12 First Team path when healthy.
Health is the one thing standing in the way of a bigger national push. If Williams stays on the field, USC may have added a corner capable of making a real run at being one of the nation’s best at the position.
The schedule will give him chances to prove it. San Jose State comes first, and its Spread-N-Shred offense will test USC with intermediate and deep throws, though the Spartans won’t have NCAA receiving yardage leader Danny Scudero, who is now at Colorado.
The bigger measuring sticks come later. Oregon visits on Sept. 26, bringing Heisman Trophy hopeful Dante Moore and explosive sophomore receiver Dakorien Moore to the Coliseum for USC’s Big Ten home opener.
Then comes Halloween night, when Ohio State’s Julian Sayin and Jeremiah Smith arrive in Los Angeles on Oct. 31.
Those are the games that can turn preseason hype into something louder. If Williams comes through against Oregon and Ohio State, the talk around him could get even bigger - maybe even all the way to the top of the cornerback conversation.
In Other News...
USCs New Defensive Identity Is Starting To Feel Very Real
Alex VanSumerens move from Michigan State to USC was one of the quieter offseason additions, but it fits neatly into the kind of defensive makeover the Trojans have been trying to sell around the program. At Big Ten Media Days, the lineman talked about what drew him west, pointing first to the coaching staff, then to USCs tradition, and then to the culture he says has taken shape under Lincoln Riley. For a team trying to convince the rest of the league that its identity is changing, those are the kinds of details that matter.
VanSumeren also described a competitive environment inside the program, one that has pushed him while still making the transition feel welcoming. He said the support from teammates has stood out, which is hardly a small thing for a transfer trying to find his footing in a new locker room. For USC, the larger takeaway is encouraging: the defensive side of the roster is not just collecting bodies, it is beginning to sound like a group that believes in where it is headed. [Read more 🡒]
USC Fall Camp Is Turning Up The Heat On Rising Playmakers
Fall camp is starting to sort out which USC newcomers can push for real roles, and a few names have already begun to separate themselves in practice and scrimmage settings. True freshmen Boobie Feaster and Kayden Dixon-Wyatt have drawn notice for promising early work, while King Miller and Luke Wafle are also among the young players creating enough buzz to keep the coaching staff leaning in. On the other side of the roster, transfer cornerback Williams has been part of the conversation too, as USC keeps evaluating who can help most once the season gets rolling.
For a team still putting pieces together before the opener, those kinds of flashes matter because they can change the depth chart quickly. The coaches have talked about the challenges of transition and what it takes to look ready in camp, and that is where the next few practices will matter most for this group of rising playmakers. The talent is clearly there, but the real question is how much of it will translate when the Trojans stop practicing against each other and start playing for keeps. [Read more 🡒]
Jide Abasiri Is Setting The Tone For USCs New-Look D-Line
Jide Abasiri has spent this offseason doing more than just adjusting to a different spot on USCs defensive front. The junior has embraced a bigger leadership role while moving to the outside of the line more often, a change that asked him to reshape his body and play style for what the Trojans need from him now. Even with the adjustment, he still carries the reputation as one of the strongest players on the roster, which makes his presence especially important for a unit that is trying to come together quickly.
USCs defensive line looks a lot different this year, with returning pieces mixing alongside transfers and freshmen to create more depth and experience than the group had before. In that kind of setting, Abasiris blend of physicality and growing responsibility matters beyond his own snaps. The real question now is how much that expanded role can translate once the Trojans start leaning on this new-look front in games. [Read more 🡒]