For USC cornerback Marcelles Williams, the position he plays runs in the family.
His father, Maxzell, was a defensive back at Nevada, and both of his older brothers followed the same path: Max at safety for USC and Macen at defensive back for Arizona State. Williams said growing up around that kind of example shaped both his game and his goals.
“Me obviously being the youngest brother in the family, you're obviously gonna look up to like your older siblings," Williams said. "Always seeing them play DB, I wanted to be like them.
I wanted to play DB. My brother went here.
USC was my dream school. Looking up to my brothers, I feel like it brought me to this point and helped me grow into being here.”
That pull toward USC made the choice even easier once Williams emerged as a four-star recruit at St. John Bosco, where he piled up national recognition and won a national championship as a junior. When the decision arrived, staying close to home and playing for the Trojans was the one that mattered most.
“It means everything to be able to play in front of my family, my friends,” Williams said. “Growing up, I was always a USC fan, so just being able to actually be out there in the Coli and put on the show for the fans, that’s honestly like a dream come true for me.”
Williams’ first year on campus was mostly a learning experience, as he played in just one game as a freshman. Last season, though, he fought his way into a crowded cornerback battle and eventually locked down a starting job.
Three different corners opened opposite DeCarlos Nicholson in the first three games, and Williams won the job in Week 3 against Purdue. He held onto it from there, starting 11 straight games.
His play kept climbing as the season went on. By November, he looked like a different corner than the one who was still finding his footing in September. His work against Nebraska in early November helped spark a second-half comeback, and his pass breakup against Iowa two weeks later led to an interception.
“In the beginning of the season, it was my first couple of game situations," Williams said. "But towards the middle to end, I just felt like I kept progressing, and getting better.”
That year of live reps changed the way he sees the game. Williams said the jump from barely playing as a freshman to handling major moments as a sophomore gave him a much stronger grasp of the speed, pressure and details that come with big games.
“Obviously, my first year, I didn't really play too much," Williams said. "My second year, I actually got to experience them big time moments, all the drives, fourth quarters, in-game situations. Getting that experience under my belt, getting used to the speed of the game, and certain things to look for in those big games.
“Played in the College Game Day game last year, so there's like a lot of things that just helps you grow and makes you be able to look forward to the next year because you've been in those situations, so you can build on whatever you did.”
Now Williams is trying to build on that progress while also taking on a bigger voice in the secondary. Cornerbacks coach Trovon Reed pushed him to grow as a leader, and Williams has leaned into that challenge as he enters his redshirt sophomore season.
The job security won’t come easy. USC’s cornerback room is packed with competition, and Williams is right in the middle of it.
Iowa State transfer Jontez Williams arrived as the No. 1 cornerback in the portal. Redshirt sophomore Chasen Johnson is back after a knee injury limited him to two games in 2025, and he played for Reed at UFC in 2024.
RJ Sermons, a former five-star recruit, is also battling for snaps in year two. So is Elbert "Rock" Hill, who was the No. 1 cornerback according to ESPN in the 2026 class.
Williams isn’t backing away from any of that. If anything, he sees the competition as part of the deal - and part of what will keep pushing him forward.
“You love the competition, being an athlete,” Williams said. “You love competing with different guys.
Having different guys like Chase and Tez, Rock, different guys like that to push you, helps you be better. We're all pushing each other to be better.
And having a coach like T-Reed who challenges us every day to be better, and I feel like that's really pushing us and really helping us to get where we want to go.”
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USC Veterans Are Already Saying The Same Thing About Luke Wafle
Luke Wafle has barely gotten to USC, but the buzz around him already sounds familiar to anyone who has spent time around a elite defensive recruit. The five-star edge rusher arrived as part of the Trojans top-ranked 2026 class, and during Media Day, several veterans kept coming back to the same points about him: his physical tools, his work habits and the way he carries himself. For a program looking to reload on defense, that kind of early praise usually means a newcomer has made a fast impression.
USC is not handing out anything based on reputation alone, though Wafle is expected to be in the mix for a starting job as the season approaches. The real test will come once the pads are on and the competition tightens, but the Trojans clearly believe he has the makeup to help right away. For a freshman entering a room full of older players, being talked about this way before the season even starts is a strong sign his path to playing time may be shorter than expected. [Read more 🡒]
USCs Receiver Buzz Is Growing As One Key Job Stays Open
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Kick return remains one of the few spots still in flux, with multiple players getting work as the staff continues to sort out that job. For a team trying to layer in young playmakers while tightening the edges of its special teams, the receiver depth has become an encouraging storyline, even if one important role is still open for business. [Read more 🡒]
USC WR Terrell Anderson Revealed The Toughest Cover Test Of His Career
Terrell Andersons first months at USC have come with the kind of adjustment every transfer wide receiver expects, but also the kind that can sharpen a player in a hurry. After arriving from North Carolina State, Anderson has talked about settling into the Trojans offense while also measuring himself against the best defensive backs he has seen in college football, a process he says has helped him grow as he gets comfortable in his new setting.
What stands out most for Anderson is how much value he puts on the daily work around him, especially the challenge of going against a USC secondary that forces receivers to stay honest on every rep. He also pointed to the tougher defensive tests ahead on the Trojans 2026 schedule, a reminder that his development now is tied not just to learning the playbook, but to preparing for the kind of coverage battles USC expects him to handle when the games start carrying real weight. [Read more 🡒]