Iowa State Cyclones Losing Star Cornerback to USC Trojans Is Significant Blow

The Iowa State Cyclones have officially seen another key player leave the program.

Sep 13, 2025; West Lafayette, Indiana, USA; A Southern California Trojans helmet sits on the field before the game against the Purdue Boilermakers at Ross-Ade Stadium. | Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images

With the transfer portal open and underway, the Iowa State Cyclones have been very busy starting to piece together a roster after losing a majority of their talent following the departure of Matt Campbell. 

Navigating the transfer portal is never an easy thing, and when a long-time coach of the program leaves, it can become a free-for-all. That ended up being the case for the Cyclones, who saw a majority of their talent enter the transfer portal. Despite Jimmy Rogers being a good young coach, he was unable to keep most players, and that was to be expected. 

Now, Rogers and his coaching staff are working hard to rebuild this roster, and the portal is how they are trying to accomplish it. Unfortunately, replacing some of the talent from the team is going to be impossible. Iowa State was a good team in 2025 with a lot of talent, and some of that talent has been regarded as the best in the portal. One player who is arguably the top player at his position is cornerback Jontez Williams. The talented defensive back will reportedly be heading to the USC Trojans. 

Williams Will Strengthen USC Defense

BREAKING: Iowa State standout transfer CB Jontez Williams has Committed to USC, he tells @On3Sports⁰
Through 3 seasons with the Cyclones he totaled 67 tackles, 10 PD, and 5 INT

He’s the No. 1 CB in the On3 Portal Rankingshttps://t.co/RlUbB6Fk7q pic.twitter.com/jGyhsFLBTF

— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) January 5, 2026

It was a solid year for the Trojans in 2025. While they might not have had the amount of success that they were seeking, they were a good program in the Big 10 and a Top 25 team for a good chunk of the year. Heading into 2026, they will undoubtedly be looking to improve and getting Williams will help with that. 

As the top-rated cornerback in the portal, this is a massive win for USC and a good indication of what their plan for 2026 is going to be. Even though a lot of the talent from the Cyclones is heading to the Penn State Nittany Lions, along with Campbell, Williams has chosen to head to warmer weather in California. 

In three years with Iowa State, Williams has developed into one of the best cornerbacks in the nation. With five career interceptions, he is not only good in coverage but can be a bit of a playmaker as well. 

For the Cyclones, losing the talented defensive back is a significant blow to the program and what Rogers is trying to build. Iowa State is very much going to be a defensive-minded program with him as the coach, and having Williams to anchor the secondary would have been nice.