USC’s Secondary Gets a Major Overhaul Ahead of 2026 Season
If USC’s cornerback depth felt paper-thin last season, it’s safe to say that problem has been addressed - and then some. The Trojans didn’t just reload; they restocked the shelves and added reinforcements from every corner of the country. Eight new players - a mix of high school talent and seasoned transfers - are joining the cornerback room, giving the coaching staff a deep and competitive pool to work with heading into spring.
This new-look secondary is about more than just numbers. It’s about reshaping a unit that, despite having elite talent at safety, struggled to consistently make plays on the ball. USC finished 16th out of 18 Big Ten teams in passes broken up (30), and while they were tied for sixth in interceptions (12), the pass defense as a whole landed near the middle of the pack, allowing 207.5 yards per game through the air.
Injuries didn’t help. Prophet Brown and Chasen Johnson were both sidelined, forcing younger players like redshirt freshman Marcelles Williams to step into starting roles.
Safety Christian Pierce also had to shoulder more responsibility when Kamari Ramsey missed time. That kind of trial by fire may pay dividends this year, but it also exposed the need for more depth and flexibility in the defensive backfield.
“I love how we went about this season,” Pierce said in December. “Overcoming adversity with my teammates, even though we had injuries and a little adversity throughout the season.
We overcame it and we pushed through it from away games to home games to bye week to game week. The rivalries, everything.
I feel like we handled it at a high level.”
Now comes the competition. Four-star freshmen like Elbert Hill (Ohio) and Brandon Lockhart (Sierra Canyon) are arriving with high expectations, but they’ll have to battle with experienced transfers like Jontez Williams from Iowa State and Carrington Pierce from Oklahoma State. That’s the kind of iron-sharpens-iron environment USC needs if it wants to elevate its pass defense in a loaded Big Ten.
The timing of all this movement comes as USC transitions on the coaching front as well. With former secondary coach Doug Belk departing, the Trojans are still searching for his replacement.
The expected hire of Gary Patterson as defensive coordinator adds an interesting wrinkle. Patterson, a former secondary coach himself, could take a hands-on approach with this group - and given his track record, that might be a very good thing.
Let’s break down where things stand position by position.
Cornerback Room: Deep, Talented, and Wide Open
Returning Players
- Prophet Brown, R-Sr.
- Chasen Johnson, Soph.
- Marcelles Williams, R-Fr.
- Alex Graham, Fr.
- Trestin Castro, Fr.
- Shawn Sehra, R-Soph.
- RJ Sermons, Fr.
- Isaac Shin, Fr.
New Additions
- Elbert Hill (Ohio)
- Brandon Lockhart (Sierra Canyon)
- Peyton Dyer (Tennessee)
- Josh Holland (St. John Bosco)
- Madden Riordan (Sierra Canyon)
- Jayden Crowder (Santa Margarita)
- Jontez Williams, Jr. (transfer, Iowa State)
- Carrington Pierce, Soph. (transfer, Oklahoma State)
Departures
- DJ Harvey, R-Sr. (eligibility)
- DeCarlos Nicholson, R-Sr. (eligibility)
- Kevin Longstreet, R-Soph. (portal, New Mexico State)
- James Johnson, Fr. (portal, Middle Tennessee)
- Braylon Conley, Soph. (portal, Georgia)
The headliner here is Jontez Williams. He was the top-rated cornerback in the transfer portal and committed to USC on Day 3 of the window.
Williams brings three years of experience and had a breakout season in 2024 at Iowa State, posting 15 tackles, four interceptions, and five pass breakups. His 2025 campaign was cut short by an ACL injury, but when healthy, he’s a high-level cover man.
Pro Football Focus gave him strong grades in both tackling (79.8) and coverage (82.2), which speaks to his versatility and reliability.
Carrington Pierce is another intriguing addition. He was the first transfer USC landed this cycle, committing on the opening day of the portal - a clear sign he was a priority target.
Pierce took an unconventional path to college football, not picking up the sport until his freshman year at Chaffey College after a standout basketball career at Etiwanda High. He’s still raw, but his athletic ceiling is high.
How quickly he develops this offseason will determine just how big a role he plays in 2026.
Safety/Nickel: Time to Rebuild After NFL Departures
Returning Players
- Christian Pierce, Jr.
- Kennedy Urlacher, Soph.
- Marquis Gallegos, R-Fr.
- Isaiah Rubin, R-Fr.
- Kendarius Reddick, Fr.
- Brandon Shepherd, R-Jr.
New Additions
- None
Departures
- Kamari Ramsey, R-Jr.
(NFL Draft)
- Bishop Fitzgerald, R-Sr.
(NFL Draft)
- Steve Miller, Fr. (portal, UConn)
Replacing Kamari Ramsey and Bishop Fitzgerald is no small task. Ramsey is currently the fifth-ranked safety on Mel Kiper’s big board for the 2026 NFL Draft, and Fitzgerald capped off his college career as an All-American. That’s a ton of production - and leadership - walking out the door.
The next men up are Christian Pierce and Kennedy Urlacher, who started together in the Alamo Bowl. Both showed flashes in 2025 but also had their share of growing pains.
Pierce, in particular, had an inconsistent year when it came to tackling, while Urlacher appeared in seven games and had a similarly uneven performance. The potential is there, but the offseason will be crucial for both - not just to clean up technique, but to establish themselves as reliable anchors in the back end.
Behind them, Isaiah Rubin and Marquis Gallegos round out the two-deep, and it wouldn’t be surprising if the coaching staff experiments with moving other players into the mix to find the right combination.
What’s Next?
With the first transfer portal window closed (barring exceptions), USC’s secondary is starting to come into focus. The cornerback room is suddenly one of the deepest on the roster, while the safety group is entering a transition phase. The key now is development - and figuring out who steps up as vocal leaders and playmakers.
The Trojans may not have all the answers yet, but they’ve certainly given themselves options. And after a year where depth was a glaring issue, that’s a major step in the right direction.