USC has its best cornerback room in the Lincoln Riley era. The Trojans have a great combination of returning production, transfer portal additions and blue-chip freshman.
It’s a room that will be tested throughout the 2026 season as the Trojans face several opponents with deep and talented receiver corps.
Big Ten Receiver Rooms
Ohio State’s Jeremiah Smith is easily the best receiver USC will see this fall. Smith, a two-time first team All-American, is a complete receiver at 6-foot-3 and 225 pounds. The future top NFL Draft pick enters this season with his eyes on becoming the next Biletnikoff Award and bringing the Buckeyes back to college football’s mountain top.
Chris Henry Jr. is an uber talented five-star freshman that USC is familiar with. The 6-foot-6 Mater Dei (Calif.) product shined in the spring game and has the skillset to step in and continue an impressive lineage of receivers in the Scarlet and Gray. Brandon Innis, UTSA transfer Devin McCuin, LSU transfer Kyle Parker and freshmen Jerquaden Guilford and Brock Boyd round out the receiver room in Columbus.
Indiana loses its top two receivers in Omar Cooper Jr., the No. 22 overall pick in April’s NFL Draft, and Elijah Sarratt, but the Hoosiers could potentially have a better duo in 2026.
Charlie Becker didn’t become a starter until the second half of the season and he became a go-to target for Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza. Becker is a big target at 6-foot-4 and 207 pounds. He’s true deep threat and excels in contested catch situations. The junior has garnered first round pick buzz heading into the season.
Indiana receiver Nick Marsh is another big target at 6-foot-3 and 213 pounds. He’s recorded 600-plus receiving yards in back-to-back season with inconsistent quarterback play at Michigan State. Marsh gets a proven quarterback this season in TCU transfer Josh Hoover. Tyler Morris and Tulane transfer Shazz Preston will also be featured.
Oregon’s Evan Stewart returns after missing all of last season with an injury. The former five-star recruit transferred from Texas A&M to the Ducks in 2024. Stewart is an explosive deep ball threat. Dakorien Moore is very similar. The Duncanville (Texas) product was a five-star recruit in the 2025 class put together a solid freshman campaign and is looking to take the next step in the fall.
Stewart and Moore headline a dynamic receiver room in Eugene that also features players such as Jeremiah McClellan, Iverson Hooks and freshmen Jalen Lott and Messiah Hampton.
Cornerback Competition
Cornerback is set to be one of the more intriguing position battles in fall camp. Marcelles Williams made his first career start in week 3 last season and never looked back. The St. John Bosco (Calif.) certainly had some growing pains but was vital to the Trojans’ defensive success the final month of the season. Heading into his redshirt sophomore season, he’s more confident but has a ton of competition to hold onto his job.
Jontez Williams was one of the prized transfer portal additions during the singular window in January. The Iowa State transfer is the most experienced cornerback on the roster and was a second team All-Big 12 selection in 2024. He is returning from a significant knee injury, as is redshirt sophomore Chasen Johnson, but both will be ready for camp.
Johnson started four games as a true freshman under cornerbacks coach Trovon Reed at UCF in 2024. He was limited to just two games last season and returns with something to prove. Johnson and redshirt freshman RJ Sermons add size to the position, with both being listed at 6-foot-1 and 195 pounds.
Sermons, a talented sprinter from nearby Rancho Cucamonga (Calif.), was originally a five-star recruit and the No. 1 cornerback in the 2026 class before reclassifying last summer. He spent his freshman season developing behind the scenes to be ready for this season.
Freshman Elbert “Rock” Hill was the No. 1 cornerback in the 2026 class according to ESPN and proved why with a solid spring. The Ohio native will be a hard player to keep off the field in year one and the Trojans need more than a couple of cornerbacks to step up this fall.
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