Sep 10, 2022; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Mississippi State Bulldogs cornerback DeCarlos Nicholson (4) against the Arizona Wildcats at Arizona Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

USC Trojans Coach Opens Up On Intense Cornerback Competition Amid Injuries

Originally posted on USC Trojans on SI
By Kendell Hollowell | Last updated Aug 21, 2025 3:00 PM ET

LOS ANGELES - Cornerback has been one of the more intriguing battles for the USC Trojans during fall camp. It’s been a mix of veterans such as DeCarlos Nicholson and DJ Harvey, who enter their final collegiate season and have played a ton of football.

However, the Trojans have a pair of young, but very talented cornerbacks in redshirt freshmen Marcelles Williams and Braylon Conley that have been pushing Nicholson and Harvey. The two members of the 2024 recruiting class each appeared in just one game a year ago but have made tremendous strides in their development since then and are ready to step into a larger role.

“I think everyone's gonna play, and we're gonna give everyone the opportunity in the game,” Lynn said.

And then there’s sophomore Chasen Johnson, who has been sideline for the last couple of weeks with an injury. The Trojans added the UCF transfer during the spring portal window to compete for a starting position in the fall.

Johnson started four games as a true freshman for the Golden Knights under cornerbacks coach Trovon Reed, who took the same role with USC in January.

“He's been banged up. We'll get him on the field sometime next week, but not having him out there is hurt,” Lynn said. “But again, it's a lot other guys to get extra reps, but when we get him healthy, we need to get him and caught up to speed.”

Five-star freshman RJ Sermons and four-star Trestin Castro appear headed for a redshirt season, but with two Group of Five opponents in Missouri State and Georgia Southern on the schedule to open the 2025 season, there’s a very good chance the two cornerbacks from the Inland Empire will get the opportunity to showcase their talents.

Castro was on campus in the spring, while Sermons, who was originally the No. 1 ranked cornerback in the 2026 class, reclassified in May and enrolled over the summer.

Nickel Position

The Trojans suffered a major blow to its secondary when redshirt senior cornerback Prophet Brown suffered a non-contact lower body injury the second week of fall camp and will miss the first part of the season.

Brown was expected to be the team’s starting nickel. The next man up is true freshman Alex Graham, a four-star recruit from the Motor City. Graham was on campus in the spring and has the earned the trust of the coaching staff with not his play on the field but his football intelligence.

“We've put him in the slot. He's played some safety,” Lynn said. He's a guy we're moving around, but yeah, like we feel confident enough in him, as far as trusting that he knows what to do, but also his ability, that he can go out there with the ones.”

This article first appeared on USC Trojans on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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