RJ Sermons Building Momentum as Rising Star in USC Trojans Secondary

USC Trojans cornerback RJ Sermons reclassified early last summer and arrived just before the start of fall camp. He spent his first season developing behind the scenes and cornerbacks coach Trovon Reed raved about Sermons' progression.

Oct 21, 2023; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley watches from the sidelines against the Utah Utes in the first half at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

RJ Sermons was originally a five-star recruit and the No. 1 ranked cornerback in the 2026 class, before he chose to reclassify to the 2025 class. 

Sermons arrived late in the summer and spent this past season developing behind the scenes with the USC Trojans staff, rather than playing his senior year of high school. 

RJ Sermons Shows Upwards Trajectory in Year One 

Oct 21, 2023; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley watches from the sidelines against the Utah Utes in the first half at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Even though Sermons did not take a snap during his freshman season, USC brought him along on road trips. It allowed him to get fully acclimated to every detail of the college game, from regular practice weeks to gameday preparation. 

An emphasis on the mental side, just as much as his development on the field. All of it has led to this moment so that Sermons would be ready to compete for a larger role in 2026. USC cornerbacks coach Trovon Reed had some lofty praise for the Rancho Cucamonga (Calif.) product during his press conference on Friday.

“That kid has grown up so much. He went from a boy to man in just a few months," Reed said. "This is a young man who just now is supposed to be arriving here. Skipped his whole senior year. For him to do that and take that risk, hats off to him because a lot of people can’t do what he did."

“He's a young man who's determined to get on that field this year and it's shown in his work ethic. The questions he is asking, he is so much more mature than when he first arrived and he should be. My goal is to continue to get him to grow, not just on the field, but off the field and continue to make him a young man.”

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At 6-foot-1 and 195 pounds, Sermons has great size and is a technician at the position. He’s fluid in his movements and competitive. The Southern California native is a tremendous athlete that is comfortable playing on an island and great at making a plays on the ball. 

He possesses elite speed, running a 10.30 in the 100 meter and 20.88 in the 200 meter in the spring of 2025, the second-best times in California that season and won the CIF Division 1 Championship in both events. 

Secondary coach Paul Gonzales said during his press conference on Friday that his cornerbacks need to be able to run and Sermons can certainly do that. 

He’s a legacy at USC. His father, Rodney, was a running back for Southern Cal from 1994-97. His older brother, Cameron, is a redshirt freshman receiver. With the Trojans working to fill its roster with elite local talent, Sermons could be one of the central pieces of what the payoff could be. 

Push to Earn Playing Time in Year Two

Aug 30, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley watches from the sidelines against the Missouri State Bears in the first half at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

There is certainly a ton of talent in the cornerback room. Marcelles Williams started 11 games during his redshirt season and was essentially in the same position as Sermons a year ago. 

A highly touted local recruit that spent his first year developing behind the scenes. The St. John Bosco (Calif.) product showed growth throughout his first year as a starter but will undoubtedly be challenged this spring. It’s a good problem for USC to have as they have put a premium at stacking talent at that position. 

Iowa State transfer Jontez Williams was the No. 1 ranked cornerback, per the 247Sports Transfer Rankings. Oklahoma State transfer Carrington Pierce was another player the Trojans added in the portal. 

Oct 5, 2024; Ames, Iowa, USA; Iowa State Cyclones defensive back Jontez Williams (3) intercepts a pass intended for Baylor Bears wide receiver Monaray Baldwin (4) at Jack Trice Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Reese Strickland-Imagn Images | Reese Strickland-Imagn Images

Redshirt sophomore Chasen Johnson returns after missing almost the entirety of this past season with a knee injury. Freshman Elbert Hill is one of the top recruits in USC’s No. 1 ranked 2026 class. ESPN rated the Ohio native as the top-ranked cornerback. 

“He’s a super tremendous athlete. So wherever we can get him on the field the fastest, that’s where he’ll play,” Reed said about Hill. 

Trestin Castro was a four-star recruit in the 2025 class. He saw limited playing time at the end of the Trojans first two games this past season against Group of Five opponents. Freshmen Brandon Lockhart, Joshua Holland and Jayden Crowder are also on campus this spring.