One of many prime prospects in USC’s top-ranked 2026 recruiting class has determined to not wait one other yr to hitch the Trojans.
Rancho Cucamonga cornerback RJ Sermons, a four-star recruit, plans to reclassify to the 2025 class, leaving highschool a yr early to enroll this summer season at USC.
Sermons, whose father Rodney performed at USC, ought to give the Trojans one other proficient possibility in a defensive backfield that misplaced 5 starters from a season in the past. How swiftly he’ll have the ability to declare a task in that rebuilt secondary stays to be seen.
USC already added two starting-caliber corners by means of the switch portal in DJ Harvey and Chasen Johnson, whereas returners DeCarlos Nicholson, Marcelles Williams, Braylon Conley and Prophet Brown have expertise within the Trojans’ scheme. Three different freshmen — Alex Graham, Trestin Castro and James Johnson — additionally joined the place group within the spring.
Sermons ought to at the least step in with a legit declare because the quickest member of USC’s secondary. He at the moment owns the state’s prime instances within the 100- and 200-meter dashes at 10.30 and 20.88 seconds.
He received’t be the one member of the Trojans’ 2025 class that was imagined to be a senior in highschool subsequent season. 5-star defensive lineman Jahkeem Stewart reclassified from the 2026 to the 2025 class final season after enjoying in simply 12 highschool video games. He’s anticipated to have a task on USC’s protection this fall.
