Marcus Johnson to USC: Trojans Land 4-Star CB Prospect

USC's successful season is paying dividends in recruiting, as the Trojans have landed cornerback Marcus Johnson for their 2018 class.  

Greg Biggins of Scout reported Johnson's pledge to the Trojans.

Johnson is one of the best defensive players in the 2018 class. He's a 4-star prospect from Los Angeles who is listed as the No. 4 cornerback from the state of California, No. 13 player at the position and No. 115 player overall, per Scout. 

In July, Biggins offered a glowing review about Johnson's potential as he continues to prepare for the college game: "Johnson has the potential to develop into a lockdown corner and had a strong spring on the [seven-on-seven] circuit."

Despite coming from an offensive background, USC head coach Clay Helton has quickly turned the program into a top-tier defense with room for improvement. The Trojans finished this season tied for 24th in scoring defense, including allowing just 18.6 points during their eight-game winning streak. 

One reason for their rapid rise in the Pac-12 is Helton's ability to recruit. Kyle Bonagura of ESPN.com wrote in February that USC had the conference's top-ranked class in 2016. 

Keeping one of the best players from Los Angeles at home shows how Helton has made USC relevant in the national conversation once again. 

The Pac-12 is known for having offenses that can air it out, so putting together a top defense is a must for success. Johnson gives USC a budding star in the secondary. While it will be another year before the Trojans reap the results, the wait is going to be worth it.