USC Trojans Recruit RJ Sermons Wins 200m at Masters Meet, Earns Spot in State Championship

Rancho Cucamonga (Calif.) five-star cornerback and USC Trojans commit RJ Sermons continued his impressive season on the track Saturday in the Southern Section Masters Meet at Moorpark High.

Sermons won a stacked 200m race with a time of 20.97, which qualifies him for the CIF State Championships at Buchanan High in Clovis next weekend. Sermons also competed in the 100m over the weekend, but his time of 10.47 placed him fourth.

It was a disappointing result, but Sermons will still have an opportunity to claim a state championship before closing out his high school career. Sermons announced on Friday that he would be reclassifying to the 2025 cycle. The five-star cornerback will take a summer course next month and officially enroll at USC on July 14.

Aug 26, 2023; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley watches game action against the San Jose State Spartans during the first half at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Reclassifying has been prevalent in high school basketball for years but has become more and more common in football as of late. Sermons had originally planned to graduate in December and enroll in January 2026, but decided he was ready to make the jump this fall.

"What motivated me to get ahead on my enrollment was that my family and I believe it is time to take the next step and move on to that next level," Sermons told 247Sports. "I will be developed and taught by the best daily, which will sharpen me as a player and person.

"Also, it's been a lifelong dream to play at USC, so it's exciting to be able to get into the program earlier than expected."

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Sermons grew up a USC fan and had been a frequent visitor at campus over the years, having played his high school football 50 miles away campus. His father, Rodney, played running back for the Trojans in the mid 90s and his older brother, Cameron, will join USC as a preferred walk-on later this week.

Sermons will compete for early playing time in a Trojans secondary that lost four of five starters, including all three at the cornerback position.

Redshirt seniors DeCarlos Nicholson, DJ Harvey and Prophet Brown have been considered the favorites to step in as the starters but will continue to be pushed by a young and talented group of defensive backs in fall camp.

Redshirt freshman Marcelles Williams was a standout for the second consecutive year during spring ball. USC coach Lincoln Riley raved about the progression of the St. John Bosco (Calif.) product over the last year.

Williams certainly shouldn’t be counted as someone that can start in the fall. Redshirt freshman Braylon Conley is another name to keep an eye on. Redshirt sophomore Kevin Longstreet has appeared in six games over the last two years at Texas A&M.

USC signed two cornerbacks in the 2025 cycle, four-star Trestin Castro and three-star James Johnson, both of whom were on campus this spring and showed flashes.

The 6-0, 185-pound Sermons certainly has the skillset to be an immediate contributor in the fall. Sermons is a technician in man-to-man coverage, possessing excellent footwork, athleticism and closing speed. He’s physical and doesn’t shy away from showing up in the run game. It will be a matter of how quickly he can learn the defense and make an impression in the cornerback battle.

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