USC football cornerback depth: Who will separate from the pack?

The Trojans enter the 2023 season with eight scholarship cornerbacks

With spring practice in the books, we've put out our projected USC football depth chart for the fall. But let's go deeper. Over the course of the next few weeks, we'll release position-by-position breakdowns of USC's roster.

Who is back from last season? Who's new? Who will have the biggest impact? Who's an under-the-radar player to watch? What does the future of the position look like?

We'll answer all of those questions and more.

We started our breakdowns with the quarterbacks, running backs, tight ends, wide receivers and offensive line. Let's now dive into the defensive side of the ball beginning with the cornerbacks.

THE ROOM

USC enters the 2023 season with eight scholarship cornerbacks. Ceyair Wright, Domani Jackson and Jacobe Covington are all returners who battled for the two starting jobs during spring camp. Christian Roland-Wallace, a University of Arizona transfer, is also competing for a starting job. 

Tre'Quon Fegans spent last season, his first in college, at the University of Alabama before transferring to USC during the second portal window. He could potentially push for a starting job in fall camp too. Regardless of who starts, expect to see a lot of rotating — this room is deep at the top

Prophet Brown and Fabian Ross are returners who will start the season in reserve roles. Maliki Crawford is a true freshman. 

PROJECTED LINEUP AND DEPTH CHART

1. Ceyair Wright (R-So.) and Domani Jackson (So.)

2. Christian Roland-Wallace (Sr.) and Jacobe Covington (R-Jr.) OR Tre'Quon Fegans (R-Fr. or So.)

3. Prophet Brown (R-So.) OR Fabian Ross (R-Fr.) OR Maliki Crawford (Fr.)

As mentioned previously, there are five players competing for two starting spots. 

In USC's spring game, Wright and Jackson started, so that's why they're on top. A case can be made for every member of this group starting though. 

Wright and Covington had the best springs out of the CB's. Roland-Wallace didn't transfer in to compete, he came to play a big role — the staff clearly thinks he can help. Jackson was a five-star prospect and the No. 2 cornerback recruit in the 2022 class who's finally fully healthy.

Fegans may factor in at safety, but if he stays at cornerback, as the No. 14 CB prospect in the 2022 class, he certainly has the pedigree to contribute too. 

Brown and Ross face uphill battles for playing time. Crawford will likely use his first year in college as a developmental one once he comes back from the injury that knocked him out of spring ball. 

2022 BY THE NUMBERS

Wright: Started USC's first 11 games, played in all 14 games on defense. Played 582 snaps at wide corner. Made 27 tackles and 1 INT. Allowed 27 catches on 43 targets.

Jackson: Played in 5 games on defense logging 33 snaps at wide corner. Made 2 tackles. Allowed 2 receptions on 2 targets.

Roland-Wallace (at Arizona): Started all 12 games on defense logging 678 snaps at wide corner. Made 57 tackles and forced 1 fumble. Allowed 34 receptions on 62 targets. 

Covington: Played in 13 games on defense, started the last 3 he played. Played 262 snaps at wide corner. Made 18 tackles and recovered 1 fumble. Allowed 12 receptions on 21 targets. 

Brown: Played 2 games on defense logging 18 snaps at wide corner. Made 4 tackles. Allowed 1 reception on 1 target.

Fegans (at Alabama): DNP

Ross: DNP on defense

WHAT TO EXPECT

PFF graded USC's coverage as the 58th best in Division 1 last year and the team's best corner, Mekhi Blackmon, left for the NFL. So while the cornerback room has a lot of talent on paper, USC needs someone new to step up and fill the void left by Blackmon's departure.

Wright started 11 games but then was benched last season. Will he take a big step forward in 2023? That would be a major boost for USC. Covington's two interceptions in the spring game offered fans a glimpse of his high-level potential. 

The overall feel with this room is that the talent is there, it's now up to the players, Donte Williams and Alex Grinch to prepare and execute. What will the exact mix of corners in the rotation be and who will start? That remains to be seen, but there's enough ability there to play better than last season. 

It's make or break time for this unit. 

WHAT DOES THE FUTURE OF THE POSITION LOOK LIKE?

USC struggled recruiting corners in the 2023 class and only wound up with Crawford. Expect the Trojans staff to add a corner or two from the 2024 recruiting class and as always, if there's a fit in the transfer portal down the line, USC will pursue it. 

It doesn't seem like Brown or Ross will have big roles in the future, but it's possible Brown could still carve one out after this season. 

Jackson will be back in 2024. The 2023 season feels like a big one for the five-star prospect. Can he put it all together after battling injuries as a freshman?

It will be interesting to see where the USC staff has Fegans line up during fall camp — he could certainly be great in the future at corner or safety. 

Every corner other than Roland-Wallace has eligibility remaining after this season.