Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 1 game
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 2 | W 49-30vs Louisiana | 2 | 2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 2 tackles |
| Total | 2 | 2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 |
#25
Marcelles Williams
Sophomore cornerback on USC's 2026 roster.
5′11″ · 190 lb · Carson, CA · St. John Bosco HS
CFB Index 22 · #315 of 364 cornersLow confidenceReturning to USC for 2026
CFB Index
A single number blending on-field production (an EPA-based value lane) with box-score output for this player's position.
0-100, scaled within each position's own cohort — not directly comparable across positions.
Recruiting
4★
CB recruit
No. 148 nationally · Signed with USC
No college snaps yet.
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
2 cornerback on USC's 2026 roster.
- Signed as a 4-star recruit to USC in 2024.
Marcelles Williams
Doesn't get beat deep and rarely gives up the big play. He has spent three seasons in the USC secondary. The receipt on tape: 2 tackles against Louisiana, Week 2, 2026.
2 TACKLES · 0 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- seasons on the roster
- game log
His career
2024
- Signed with USC4-star out of St. John Bosco
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★★
CFB
College
USC
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Coaching lineage · 2024–2026
1 coach2024–2026
Played his entire career under Lincoln Riley.
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
3 seasons under Lincoln Riley — 19-10 over that span.
2024USC7-6HC: Lincoln Riley · Pass-leaning
2025USC9-4HC: Lincoln Riley · Balanced
2026USC3-0HC: Lincoln Riley · Run-leaning
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
Low confidence
Concern: tackles (0th percentile).
Box-score production (6)
Percentiles are versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score production. There are no play-by-play efficiency bars here: CFBD's play-value model credits offensive players only, so no defensive EPA exists to rank.
Splits & context
Splits
Per-game splits
Through 1 game: 2.0 TKL/g, 0.0 TFL/g, 0.0 SACK/g, 0.0 PD/g — splits start at 3 games.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Lincoln Riley
Pass share
46.0%
97 pass / 114 run
Plays / game
70.3
3 games
Team sack rate
2.0%
102 dropbacks · PBP
Scheme: Run-leaning.
Awards
Player standing · 2025
Rotational
Tackle volume for the position in rotation-piece range.
Recognition
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
Production · CFB Index Score
22 · #315 of 364 corners
Former four-star. Now #315 at the position.
2026 outlook
Outside shot for All-Big Ten
Based on 2025: #13 of 18 Big Ten CBs
How the All-Big Ten estimate is computed
22% estimated, 95% confidence interval 19–25%. Base rate measured from players who finished at a comparable rank in their conference and came back the next season. It is an estimate from a small sample, not a forecast of this player.
Career stats
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 2 · 2026
W 49–30
vs Louisiana
Game log
How he plays
Play style
Steady in coverage; doesn't get beat deep and rarely gives up the big play.
CFB Index positional classification
2026 Outlook
USC
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Cornerback · USC
Returning around him
- 3 USC players drafted to NFL
- Transfer portal: -13 net (9 in / 22 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
USC · Last season: 9-4 (AP #16) · Talent rank #9 · 2026 recruiting class #1
DNA match
Player DNA
Cover Corner
Steady in coverage; doesn't get beat deep and rarely gives up the big play.
CB
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Jacob Finley’s 2023 season.
Matches Jacob on
Height
PD rate
Weight
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a sophomore, his production profile tracks closest to William Nettles's sophomore season at SMU (2025).
Matches William on
Class year
PD rate
Tackle volume
Background
2026: Williams will compete for playing time at cornerback as a redshirt sophomore in 2026. 2025: Williams saw action in all 13 games and started in 11 (all except Missouri State and Georgia Southern) at cornerback as a redshirt freshman. He recorded 41 tackles and 5 PBUs. He had 3 tackles agains...
The secondary · USC
- #6Christian Pierce64 tackles · 2025
- #25Marcelles Williams37 tackles · 2025
- #9Kennedy Urlacher27 tackles · 2025
- Jontez Williams15 tackles · 2025
- #7Alex Graham15 tackles · 2025
17 more on the roster · USC team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology