USC’s push to rebuild its recruiting ties in California is starting to look like more than a one-off success story. The Trojans have already leaned into those Trinity League connections, and now they may have another familiar pairing in the works: 2027 USC safety commit Gavin Williams and four-star cornerback Jordan Hicks.
Williams has been in contact with Hicks about joining the Trojans in 2028, and the two have known each other since they were 12 years old, per Rivals. That kind of long-standing relationship has already shown up in USC’s recent classes, with 2027 cornerbacks Danny Lang and Aaryn Washington arriving as former Mater Dei teammates, and Washington set to finish at IMG Academy. In 2026, USC also brought in six high school teammates, including four from Mater Dei and two from Santa Margarita Catholic.
Hicks enters his junior season with a strong résumé and a long list of suitors. He is ranked by 247Sports as the No. 17 cornerback in the country, while On3 and Rivals have him at No. 18 at the position.
He’s also listed as a top-20 player in California, with national rankings of No. 143 and No. 191.
At 6-foot-1 and 180 pounds, Hicks became a full-time starter for the Diablos last season and put together a productive year in 11 games. He finished with 62 total tackles, including 34 solo stops and 1.5 tackles for loss, along with five interceptions, five pass breakups and three forced fumbles, per MaxPreps. He also handled two kickoff returns for 22 yards.
The ball production jumps off the page, and the evaluation matches it. Hicks has shown the instincts and closing speed to turn plays into turnovers, with the football IQ to work well in zone coverage.
He can also hold up in man coverage, run with receivers stride for stride, and doesn’t back away from run support. He’s willing to tackle in space and has the strength to jar the ball loose.
USC first got him on campus for an unofficial visit on Oct. 11, 2025, and the Trojans offered him that same day, per 247Sports. Since then, Hicks has made multiple trips, including stops during spring practices. His latest visit came on June 11, when he watched practice and spent time with cornerbacks coach Trovon Reed, along with current and incoming players.
Hicks told USC Trojans On SI that his relationship with Reed and seeing local players choose Southern Cal have both been positive influences as he gets closer to a decision.
Reed has been the main recruiter in Hicks’ process, and the results so far have been strong. He has already landed two four-star corners in the 2027 class, Lang and Washington, and four corners in the 2026 group, including four-star Elbert Hill IV. Hicks would be Reed’s first 2028 commitment.
USC is far from alone in the chase. Hicks has 30 other offers, according to 247Sports, with UCLA, Washington, Oregon, Syracuse and Michigan among the Big Ten schools involved. Texas, Auburn, Florida, Kentucky, Ole Miss and Oklahoma are also in the mix.
Per Rivals’ Adam Gorney, Hicks plans to take gameday visits this fall to Oregon, Miami, Alabama, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Ole Miss and Michigan. UCLA and USC are also scheduled stops for the California native.
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One of the biggest names on that horizon is Christopher Vargas, a highly rated 2028 quarterback from Massachusetts who has drawn a national list of offers. USC is in the mix with UCLA, Washington and Ohio State, which is enough to show how wide the race has become and how much Riley still has to sell on the West Coast. For USC, the stakes are obvious: quarterback recruiting under Riley has a way of shaping everything else, and the Trojans are trying to make sure the next one is not a battle they let slip away. [Read more 🡒]
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For USC, the appeal is obvious. Smith is from Ontario, California, so the Trojans can sell the comfort of staying close to home while also leaning into the draw of Los Angeles and the NIL opportunities that come with it. They are still battling heavyweights such as UConn, Baylor, Tennessee and UCLA, but USC can point to the star power already in its program and the kind of development path elite recruits want to hear about. [Read more 🡒]
USC Just Landed The Kind Of 2027 Win Fans Have Wanted
USCs recruiting momentum has been building in a way fans have been waiting to see, and the 2026 and 2027 classes are starting to look like a real statement. The Trojans have already stacked up commitments from top prospects such as cornerback Danny Lang, five-star athlete Honor Faalave-Johnson and five-star edge Mekai Brown, giving the program a much stronger footing in the kind of high-end talent race that has too often gone elsewhere.
What stands out is not just the star power, but how USC has gone about getting it. The staff has leaned hard into local recruiting while also making sure it stays in the fight for premium defensive talent, with multiple coaches involved in the chase and visits doing plenty of the heavy lifting. Browns path was especially notable because USC had to beat out a crowded group of major programs, and his addition fits the broader push to fortify the front end of the defense. [Read more 🡒]