Impressive True Freshman Cornerback Marcelles Williams Is Turning Heads at USC

Williams Was a Star in High School

At football powerhouse St. John Bosco High School in Bellflower, CA, Williams emerged as a star during his sophomore year, making 42 tackles and seven pass break-ups. He developed into a “lock-down defender” with a “knack for making big plays at key moments, including two interceptions in the … state championship game.” He also blocked a field goal kick in the championship game.

Remarkably, Williams was a four-year starter in high school.

247Sports rated Williams as the fifth-best cornerback prospect in the country in the 2024 recruiting class.

In 2023, Williams was a first-team MaxPreps All-American. Williams was recruited by Florida State, Mississippi, Arizona State, Auburn, Oklahoma, and Notre Dame, but chose USC.

Williams’ Pedigree

Williams’ older brother Max, played safety for USC. He has declared for the 2024 NFL Draft. He has another brother, Macen, who currently plays defensive back for Arizona State. Macen is a redshirt senior for the Sun Devils and has NFL aspirations. The three brothers’ father, Maxzell Williams Sr., was a defensive back at Nevada.

Shining as a True Freshman Cornerback

According to 247Sports, it is time to “[b]uy stock in Marcelles Williams. Players up and down USC’s roster can’t stop raving about the 5-foot-10, 182-pound early enrollee freshman cornerback.”

USC quarterback Miller Moss said:

“Marcelles Williams has been awesome. He’s a young kid, a high school senior still, but he can definitely play cornerback with the best guys on our team right now. It’s been really cool to see. He’s definitely got a bright future.”

Trojan wide receiver Ja’Kobi Lane offered the following comments:

“I think technique-wise and just pure ability-wise, he’s everything you’d want from a young guy. He’s very receptive to all of the coaching that coach [Doug] Belk and coach [D’Anton] Lynn give him and that’s one thing that I think he strives on, listening and taking coaching. He’s a player for sure.”

247Sports reports:

“As a four-star prospect and the No. 205 recruit nationally in the 2024 class, expectations were understandably high for Williams when he enrolled at USC in January out of Bellflower (Calif.) St. John Bosco. But while other young defensive players with high upside have been called ‘raw’ and told they need to ‘tighten up their fundamentals’ during spring camp, the descriptions of Williams’ game have been more advanced….

“Even Lincoln Riley’s noticed.

“‘Marcelles has certainly caught my eye,’ USC’s head coach said….

“When the fall rolls around, Williams will face stiff competition for playing time at boundary cornerback. Jacobe Covington, John Humphrey[,] and DeCarlos Nicholson will all likely be ahead of Williams on the USC depth chart due in large part to being four years older than the freshman. [However,] [t]hat hasn’t stopped Williams from competing and making a strong impression. He’s also been taking reps at safety in spring camp and wowing there too. His ability, work ethic, and team-first attitude haven’t gone unnoticed.”

For a Trojan defense that has struggled the last couple of years, the positive impact being made by a talented, young defensive back is a welcome addition.