We are just over the halfway point of the USC Trojans‘ fall camp. The season kicks off in two weeks, and the depth chart is beginning to come into focus.
Here is my best guess at the defensive depth chart at this point. You can find my USC Trojans offensive depth chart HERE.
I will do another final depth chart installment at the end of camp, before the team releases the official one.
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USC Trojans Defensive Depth Chart
EDGE
- Braylon Shelby OR Luke Wafle
- Jadyn Ramos
EDGE
- Kameryn Crawford
- Zuriah Fisher OR Jide Abasiri
The USC EDGE group is very deep. The top-end talent is all interchangeable, and there will not be a huge drop-off in rotations.
To me, Crawford is the clear EDGE 1 right now. Shelby and Wafle are both going to rotate and play a lot. Fischer brings great veteran experience, and Ramos is an energizer bunny who is going to get reps early in the season and try to capitalize on those. Abasiri will play both inside and outside, just depends on the package, but he will be on the edge in bigger packages.
Defensive Tackle
- Alex VanSumeren
- Floyd Boucard
Defensive Tackle
- Jide Abasiri OR Jahkeem Stewart
- TomTom Tupui
I don’t know if it’s completely fair to say he’s been a total surprise, but it is exciting just how good Alex VanSumeren has been throughout camp. He is going to fit perfectly in this system.
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Jide Abasiri and Jahkeem Stewart are both going to play a lot. Stewart is still my sleeper for Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year. It will be fun to watch him fully healthy.
TomTom and Boucard provide tremendous top-end depth. All 5 of these guys will play, and we will likely see Jah Jarrett as well, giving the Trojans one of the deepest interiors in all of college football.
Linebacker
- Desman Stephens
- Deven Bryant
Linebacker
- Jadyn Walker
- Talanoa Ili OR Elijah Newby
Desman Stephens and Jadyn Walker are your two very clear starters. Deven Bryant is going to play situationally, and Elijah Newby is a freak athlete who has had a nice camp. Talanoa Ili is the future at the position, and he has garnered fantastic feedback from the staff. He will play, but there is no rush to push him into a starting role.
Ta’Mere Robinson is a guy I could see playing; I’m just not sure where exactly he fits at the moment.
Cornerback
- Jontez Williams
- Elbert “Rock” Hill
Cornerback
- Chasen Johnson
- Marcelles Williams
- RJ Sermons
Jontez Williams and Chasen Johnson both missed the spring with injury, but are both fully healthy, and both have dominated fall camp.
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The excitement around Rock Hill has not waned since the spring, as he will push for reps early. Marcelles Williams has continued to build off his 2025 campaign, and RJ Sermons continues to develop. Sermons might have the highest ceiling of everyone not named Hill.
Safety
- Christian Pierce
- Dee Reddick
Safety
- Prophet Brown OR Alex Graham
- Kennedy Urlacher OR Madden Riordan
Christian Pierce is the only locked in saftey starter that I have right now. Prophet Brown feels like the safe bet to start alongside him, but the ceiling of Alex Graham is undeniable, and USC will want to get him on the field.
Reddick provides great depth, and Madden Riordan is a name that continues to get mentioned. The dude just makes plays.
Nickel
- Kennedy Urlacher OR Alex Graham
- Isaiah Rubin
The safety and nickel position are the two with the biggest unknowns. Will Kennedy Urlacher officially win the nickel job, and if he does, would that leave Alex Graham as a backup, or will he move to safety? The same could be said if Graham wins the nickel job.
Both are competing, and it will be one of those two and likely a heavy rotation early in the season. Isaiah Rubin is the clear next guy after those two.
