Incoming Freshmen Can Fulfill Sark's Wish of More Adoree' Jackson on Offense

Following Adoree' Jackson's big night in December's Holiday Bowl, which included a 71-yard touchdown reception off a shovel pass, USC head coach Steve Sarkisian talked of "battling" defensive coordinator Justin Wilcox to play the cornerback more on offense. 

There was a lighthearted air to Sarkisian's comments—he joked Jackson would have "scored four touchdowns" had he played the whole game on that side of the ball—but there is a level of truth to the notion. 

Sarkisian may get his wish of seeing Jackson more on offense next season, as the star-studded 2015 recruiting class brings the USC secondary some needed reinforcements. 

Gene Sweeney Jr./Getty Images

Jackson's offensive limitations were the result of depth issues up and down the roster, perhaps felt more in the Trojans secondary than any other unit—particularly after the 10-game suspension of Josh Shaw was levied just days prior to the season opener. 

Shaw's absence left the Trojans in need of a new shutdown corner, a role in which Jackson shined. He went the duration of the regular season without surrendering a touchdown despite often drawing opponents' most dangerous wide receivers. 

But losing Shaw also left USC with very few options at cornerback, period. As a result, Jackson's defensive workload was heavy. 

Snap counts Pro Football Focus compiled from USC's Nov. 22 game at UCLA offer a snapshot into the typical game day for Jackson. He played 76 defensive downs, which PFF's Sam Monson noted tied Su'a Cravens and Hayes Pullard for most on the team.  

The addition of three talented cornerbacks on national signing day means more depth and options for Wilcox, which should translate into more offensive opportunities for Jackson.  

Iman Marshall comes to USC with the highest accolades of the group. A 5-star prospect from Southern California prep powerhouse Long Beach Poly, Marshall gives the USC secondary a look it lacked in 2014. 

"He's very physical at the line of scrimmage, which is something we are looking for to be able to play a little more press, bump-and-run, man-to-man coverage," Sarkisian said in his prepared statement, via USCTrojans.com.

At 6'2", 200 pounds, per USCTrojans.com, Marshall is the physical prototype of the bigger cornerback that's becoming increasingly en vogue around football. He'll be able to match up with receivers like UCLA's Jordan Payton (6'1", 213 lbs), Stanford's Devon Cajuste (6'4", 229 lbs) and Arizona's Cayleb Jones (6'3", 210 lbs). 

Similarly, Ykili Ross adds size at cornerback with a 6'2" frame, per USCTrojans.com. He'll need to add some weight at 185 pounds, but his length is a decided plus. 

Size is not a concern if Jackson does play fewer defensive snaps, however. Speed is. Isaiah Langley is an option to spell Jackson when USC needs quickness. 

247Sports graded Langley 9-of-10 in both speed and recovery speed—the same marks Jackson earned coming out of high school in 2014. 

247Sports.com

An early enrollee, Langley has a jump-start on getting into the secondary rotation. The 4-star signee out of Foothill High School in Pleasanton, California, will participate in spring practices. 

USC welcomes this influx of freshman talent and combines it with a now much more experienced overall unit than it was a year ago. 

Kevon Seymour is entering his fourth season in the program and third as a starter. Chris Hawkins started off-and-on in his redshirt freshman season while true frosh Jonathan Lockett added depth midway through the campaign. 

The Trojans secondary also welcomes back Lamont Simmons, another big cornerback who redshirted in 2014.  

Jackson's much too valuable an asset for Sarkisian to take too much defensive responsibility from him. However, with more options in the secondary to share the burden, Jackson should have more chances to shine in all phases. 

And he'll save Sarkisian and Wilcox from battling. 

Quotes obtained firsthand unless otherwise cited. Statistics courtesy of CFBstats.com. Recruiting rankings and information via 247Sports.