Two USC Trojans Who May Be a Transfer Risk After First Depth Chart Reveal

No. 14 USC Trojans' depth chart release may have these two players looking for a new opportunity elsewhere.

USC Trojans redshirt freshman cornerback RJ Sermons | USC Trojans on SI

On Aug. 26, USC released its first football depth chart for the 2026 season. With injuries being taken into account, some players may have a chance to earn reps in the Trojans’ season opener against the San José State Spartans. On the flip side, there are players who are looking at decreased roles and could be potential losses to the transfer portal.

Here are two players that may need bigger roles to avoid transfer speculation.

Zacharyus Williams: Redshirt-Sophomore, Wide Receiver

Sep 6, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; USC Trojans wide receiver Zacharyus Williams (0) runs just short of the end zone during the second half against the Georgia Southern Eagles at United Airlines Field at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

At the No. 2 spot for the Trojans receivers, true freshman Trent Mosely got the nod to start. Behind him is redshirt-sopomore Zacharyus Williams. 

Coming out of high school, Williams was a four-star recruit from Junipero Serra with top-40 rankings from On3/Rivals and 247Sports in the state of California. He went on to play at Utah his freshman season (2024), recording 10 receptions for 102 yards through 10 games. There he showed flashes of what he could bring to Southern Cal – a big pass catcher (6-2, 200 pounds) that has big play ability and could play X or slot. 

Then in the summer of 2025, Williams transferred to Southern Cal. During the season, Williams suffered a leg injury in Week 2 versus Georgia Southern (Sept. 2, 2025). The injury affected him the rest of the year, limiting him to five game appearances with one start. He ended his sophomore campaign with three receptions for 80 yards. 

Unable to find a role for himself last year, Williams may have the same problem once again, especially since the Trojans brought in a talented group from their 2026 recruiting cycle. 

To avoid another transfer journey, Williams will have to carve himself a role as a gadget wideout. He has shown skill taking handoffs – recording three carries for 16 yards during his freshman season – and being a returner – 163 kickoff return yards his senior year at Serra (2023). Also getting him involved with motions, end-arounds, screens and down-field plays would be the best use of Williams’ skillset.

RJ Sermons: Redshirt-Freshman, Cornerback

USC Trojans redshirt freshman cornerback RJ Sermons | USC Trojans on SI

RJ Sermons’ journey at Southern Cal has yet to pan out for the young defensive back. 

Coming out of Rancho Cucamonga High School, Sermons had a four-star rating and was ranked as a top-10 player in the state of California by On3/Rivals and 247Sports. He ended up reclassifying to join the Trojans in 2025. Ultimately he did not see the field in his freshman season. Entering year-two, Sermons finds himself third on the depth chart behind Jontez Williams (redshirt-senior) and Marcelles Williams (redshirt-sophomore).  

It's unclear how defensive coordinator Gary Patterson or cornerbacks coach Trovon Reed will be handling snaps between the secondary. In the meantime, fans and the coaching staff will have to wait and see what Sermons does with the opportunities he’s given, if any.

As a corner, Sermons has unique physical and athletic gifts – 6-1, 190 pounds with blazing speed. During his junior track season in high school, Sermons ran two personal bests – 10.30 seconds in the 100-meter and 20.88 in the 200-meter. The speed translated to football as he had closing speed, rarely giving up any separation. 

Physically, Sermons could compete in bump-and-run situations and be reliable as a tackler – recording 34 total tackles, 21 solo in his junior outing, per MaxPreps. In total, Sermons has 80 total tackles and six pass breakups as a two-year varsity starter. 

If Sermons still can't see the field as a corner, maybe he can come in and give the special teams unit some juice. Also during his junior year at Rancho Cucamonga, Sermons had 10 kickoff returns for 384 yards. Either way, its best that the staff find a role for Sermons than risk losing a promising talent.

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