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USC Trojans Star Freshman Already Turning Heads in Practice

The USC Trojans have officially started spring practices, and one freshman cornerback is already making highlight plays.
Charlie Viehl|
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.
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. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

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USC Trojans

The USC Trojans have officially started spring practices, and freshman cornerback Elbert Hill is already making highlight plays.

The Trojans social media team posted a video of Hill intercepting a pass, and the freshman showed off his speed and awareness before coming down with what appears to be an overthrown ball.

usc trojans lincoln riley freshman cornerback elbert hill spring practice coliseum four-star recruit
Hoban’s Elbert Hill IV (1) expresses some frustration after a missed interception attempt against Walsh in an OHSAA Division II regional final, Nov. 21, 2025, at Bearcats Stadium in Bedford, Ohio. | Andrew Dolph / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Elbert Hill Catches Interception in the Coliseum

The Trojans held practice inside the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on Saturday with some family and recruits in attendance. While it might have been one of Hill's first big plays in the Coliseum on a Saturday, ideally it's the first of many.

Hill arrived on campus as a key part of USC's 2026 recruiting class, one that ranked No. 1 in the country. Per 247Sports' Composite Rankings, Hill was a four-star recruit ranked No. 53 overall and No. 6 among cornerbacks in 2026. In the Trojans' class, Hill is the seventh-highest rated recruit stepping onto campus.

Coming out of Ohio, the Ohio State Buckeyes also recruited Hill before he eventually landed with USC.

usc trojans lincoln riley freshman cornerback elbert hill spring practice coliseum four-star recruit
Dec 30, 2025; San Antonio, TX, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley watches in the first half against the TCU Horned Frogs during the Alamo Bowl at Alamodome. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

USC Trojans' Secondary Depth

Seeing Hill already making plays in practice is a good sign of his potential to contribute early in a crowded Trojans secondary. Luckily for USC, the cream should rise to the top, and the program can expect to enter the season with some valuable depth at defensive back.

Even if Hill does not take over a starting spot, he figures to be part of the rotation while he continues to develop.

Hill was the highest-rated defensive back that USC signed in its 2026 class, but the Trojans have some other talented freshmen on the roster in addition to Hill. Four-star safety Peyton Dyer and four-star cornerback Brandon Lockhart

Meanwhile, the team acquired two defensive backs in the transfer portal in Jontez Williams and Carrington Pierce. Other defensive backs like safety Christian Pierce, cornerback Marcelles Williams, cornerback Alex Graham, and safety Kennedy Urlacher have all taken strides during there time in Southern California.

Pierce finished with the third-most tackles on the team (64 total) behind linebackers Desman Stephens II and Eric Gentry, and Williams was tied for the sixth-most total tackles with 41 in 2025. Pierce also added one interception and one fumble recovery, and the two combined for seven passes deflected.

usc trojans lincoln riley freshman cornerback elbert hill spring practice coliseum four-star recruit
Nov 15, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans cornerback Alex Graham (27) safety Christian Pierce (24) cornerback Decarlos Nicholson (17) and safety Kennedy Urlacher (28) celebrate after Iowa Hawkeyes turn the ball over on fourth down during the second half at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

If the Trojans coaches trust Hill at cornerback, it could be because of his game-changing ability, highlighted in the short clip posted by the Trojans.

USC safety Bishop Fitzgerald led the team with five interceptions during the 2025 season, and the Trojans defense totaled 12 interceptions as a unit, tied for No. 42 in the nation. The team recovered six fumbles, tied for No. 70 overall.

While depth charts may be reset before every season, USC defensive coordinator Gary Patterson and the overhauled defensive coaching staff will be evaluating the roster as they continue to get to know each player's strengths, skills, and areas of growth.

If Hill can prove himself as a ballhawk defender, he may be hard to keep off of the field.

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Charlie Viehl
CHARLIE VIEHL

Charlie Viehl is the deputy editor for the Oregon Ducks, Colorado Buffaloes, and USC Trojans on SI. He has written hundreds of articles for SI and has covered events like the Big Ten Championship and College Football Playoff Quarterfinals at the Rose Bowl. While pursuing a career in sports journalism, he is also a lifelong musician, holding a degree in Music and Philosophy from Boston College. A native of Pasadena, California, he covered sports across Los Angeles while at Loyola High School and edited the Gabelli Presidential Scholars Program’s magazine at BC. He is excited to bring his passion for storytelling and sports to fans of college athletics.

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