USC Trojans' Lincoln Riley Updates Cornerback Battle, Marcelles Williams' Progression

USC Trojans redshirt freshman cornerback Marcelles Williams was a standout from the moment he arrived on campus last spring as an early enrollee. Veterans could not stop raving about the highly touted four-star recruit out of nearby St. John Bosco (Calif.) high school.

Williams is the youngest of three brothers, all Division I defensive backs. Max played five seasons at safety for the Trojans and Macen played for Arizona State. Their father, Maxzell Sr., played defensive back at Nevada.

Sep 7, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; USC Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley reacts against the Utah State Aggies during the second quarter at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Hui-Imagn Images | Jonathan Hui-Imagn Images

The youngest Williams was part of senior-heavy cornerback room in 2024. He appeared in one game and was able to spend his first season on campus developing physically. Former Trojans defensive backs Jaylin Smith, Jacobe Covington, John Humphrey and Greedy Vance Jr. have exhausted their eligibility, leaving multiple vacancies in the secondary.

"Having a year to learn how college goes, how to work and all that stuff I feel like it's going to help me have a better opportunity this year," Williams said.

Redshirt senior cornerbacks DeCarlos Nicholson and Prophet Brown return from last season and the Trojans signed former San Jose State redshirt senior cornerback DJ Harvey in the winter transfer portal. However, in another experienced position room, Williams has firmly planted himself in the mix this spring.

“He’s right in the middle of it, without a question,” said USC coach Lincoln Riley. “I mean with all the guys we lost at corner, there’s some real position battles, some real opportunities right now. He had a really good spring last year, he had a solid camp to, some of the other guy's kind of stepped up and were just a little ahead of him, but it was a great fall for him.

“He was able to develop physically, which was probably the biggest thing for him. He had to put on weight, he had to put on strength and then learn to be able to use that and play a little bit more physical, a little bit more sturdy and that’s happened,” Riley continued.

Williams, a four-year starter for one of the most prominent high schools in the country, showcased his abilities as a technician. And again, early in his USC career, but Riley has noticed drastic improvement from Williams after spending a full year in the program.

“He’s always a smart kid, he’s a guy that’s always in position, and I just see more pop, more physicality, just more kind of confidence athletically right now,” Riley said.

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The Trojans cornerback battle is unlikely to figured out in the spring and could carry over into fall camp. Nicholson appeared in all 13 games, including three starts this past season. Before that, Nicholson appeared in 25 games, including seven starts in 2022-23 at Mississippi State.

Harvey, a former four-star recruit in the 2021 class played two seasons at Virginia Tech and two at San Jose State. The Sierra Canyon (Calif.) product had a breakout season in 2024 for the Spartans, registering 58 tackles, six pass breakups, four interceptions and two sacks.

Oct 19, 2024; College Park, Maryland, USA; Southern California Trojans cornerback DeCarlos Nicholson (17) warms cup before the game against the Maryland Terrapins at SECU Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images | Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

Brown has appeared in 37 games over the past four seasons with the Trojans as a nickel and cornerback. The Sacramento native is a strong candidate to start at nickel in the fall.

Williams may not have the same game experience as the other players mentioned, but the Southern California native is young talent that is going to be tough to keep off the field another season.

In addition to Williams, USC has a plethora of talented young cornerbacks. Redshirt freshman Braylon Conley and Isaiah Rubin were also part of the Trojans 2024 recruiting class and competing for playing time in their second season on campus.

Trestin Castro and James Johnson have not shied-away from competition as early enrollees and made some noise in the cornerback battle. Cornerback is a confidence position, and the Trojans are not lacking in that department.

“The young guys, they’re not scared to talk," said redshirt senior safety Bishop Fitzgerald. "They’re super vocal and super personable and very, like, high personalities. They’ve been great to be around and, kind of learning from them too, their mistakes.”

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