USC’s defense had a rough 2025, and the secondary was part of the problem. The Trojans finished No. 50 in DFEI efficiency, allowed 6.8 yards per pass attempt, and landed tied with three other teams for No. 51 in the FBS against the pass. The bigger issue was that USC never really got the secondary it planned to use.
Prophet Brown was sidelined before the season even started. Alex Graham, the player who stepped in after him, then missed most of the year with an injury.
That shuffle pushed Kamari Ramsey into the nickel role that Brown was expected to handle. Now Brown is back for a sixth year in cardinal and gold, and that’s enough to make him No. 24 on the Trojans’ list of the 30 most important players for 2026.
USC has not been shy about moving on from players in the offseason if the fit is not there, so the fact that Brown is returning says plenty about how the staff views him. He looked like the favorite to take over at nickel last season before the injury wiped him out, and his value goes beyond one spot. The Trojans head into fall camp without a clear set of starters in the secondary because there is depth at all three defensive back positions, but Brown still stands out as a trusted piece.
Cornerbacks coach Trovon Reed made that plain when talking about him.
"I'm proud [of] Prophet, [I'm his] No. 1 fan," Reed said. "I love everything.
He's a guy you wish you could coach forever. He tries to do everything exactly how you say it.
If I say 'Prophet, I want you to run to that tree. Touch it with one finger, touch your forehead.'
He's gonna run to the tree. He's gonna do whatever you ask him to do, and you don't want it any other way.
He's so respectful. He's the definition of USC."
Brown’s job in 2026 is straightforward in one sense and wide open in another. He should play, but the exact spot and workload are still up in the air. Nickel makes sense, but he has lined up all over the secondary during his career, and the staff believes it can use him at nickel, safety or corner depending on what the defense needs.
That flexibility matters even more with USC bringing in a mix of younger and older players in the secondary, along with new faces and new roles. Elbert Hill IV and RJ Sermons are among the younger names in the room, while Jontez Williams brings veteran experience.
Then there’s the arrival of Gary Patterson, Paul Gonzales and a new defensive scheme for 2026. Brown’s presence should help smooth that transition in camp, and USC will be counting on him to do the same once the season begins.
Brown’s background helps explain why he carries so much weight. He’s from Sacramento and attended Elk Grove’s Monterey Trail, where he was a four-star cornerback in the 2019 class.
He ranked No. 134 nationally, No. 9 among cornerbacks and No. 10 in California. He was No. 30 on this list a year ago, and now he moves up to No.
Last year’s No. 24 was Tauanuu, who was locked in a battle with Tobias Raymond for the starting right tackle job. When transfer DJ Wingfield was ruled ineligible, Tauanuu took over as Raymond moved to left guard.
Both players ended up logging all 803 first-team offensive snaps, and Tauanuu started every game for USC. Injuries slowed him during spring camp, but he is expected to be full go in fall camp.
In Other News...
A Surprising USC Coaching Name Is About To Split Fans
Brian Kellys name has started surfacing in USC conversations again, which is enough to get attention around a program that never stays quiet for long. Kelly was fired by LSU during the 2025 season after a 5-3 start, and he has not jumped back into coaching since, spending the offseason as a CBS analyst on Mountain West broadcasts instead.
For USC fans, the chatter only matters if the current coaching situation changes, but that has not happened and no official developments have been reported. Even so, the idea has already stirred debate because Kelly is one of the more recognizable names attached to the sport right now, and any future opening at USC is bound to draw a long list of opinions before anything concrete ever happens. [Read more 🡒]
Texas Is Still Pressing USC For A Key 2027 Defensive Commitment
Honor Fa'alave-Johnson has already done his part to quiet the noise around USCs 2027 class, reaffirming his pledge despite the usual rumblings from Oregon and Texas. But in a cycle where the Trojans are trying to protect their early work, the bigger challenge is keeping the rest of the class intact while the recruiting traffic keeps picking up around Southern California.
USC has made relationship-building a priority with local high schools and is leaning on a strict no-visit policy for committed recruits as part of that effort. Even so, the Trojans know how quickly those bonds can be tested, especially when another staff is still making a serious push and the early stages of the class remain vulnerable to the kind of late pressure that can change a commitment conversation in a hurry. [Read more 🡒]
Tanook Hines Carries Huge Pressure In USCs Next Receiver Reload
Tanook Hines is heading into 2026 with the kind of spotlight USC wide receivers tend to inherit when the room gets turned over and the expectations stay high. The speed has always been part of the appeal, but now the Trojans are asking him to do more than stretch the field. With a younger group around him and several new receivers coming in, Hines is positioned as one of the players who has to help set the tone for what this next version of the passing game looks like.
The early schedule should give USC a quick read on how ready that transition is. San Jose State opens the season, and Fresno State brings a tougher, more physical test soon after, which means Hines may not have much time to ease into the role. If he starts stacking the kind of plays he flashed late last season, the conversation around him could shift fast from promising returner to one of the more important breakout candidates on the roster. [Read more 🡒]