USC gets commitment from top cornerback prospect Domani Jackson

One of the top defensive back prospects in the nation and the top recruit in California in the class of 2022 has committed to USC, giving the Trojans another momentous victory in a month full of them on the recruiting trail.

Santa Ana Mater Dei defensive back Domani Jackson has long been one of the most coveted prospects in the nation, a 6-foot-1 shutdown corner capable of making a big play at any moment and the caliber of prospect with the power to help turn around a program.

Jackson became the second of those potential program-altering prospects to pledge to USC this month, announcing his commitment on Saturday in a video on social media. Corona Centennial defensive end Korey Foreman, the No. 1 overall recruit in the class of 2021, chose the Trojans less than three weeks ago, promising that he would “do the best I can to take back the West.”

That’s been more than a mantra over the past month, as USC earned commitments from the top player in the state in both the 2021 and 2022 classes, redeeming its recent history of in-state recruiting woes. In 2020, USC inked just one of the state’s top 25 players and saw its recruiting class fall to 64th in the national rankings. In 2019, the Trojans missed out on top defensive end Kayvon Thibodeaux and signed just three of the top 25 in California.

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That success is due in large part to the assistant coach who first promised to remake USC into the West Coast recruiting power it had been. Cornerbacks coach Donte Williams has certainly followed through on that promise over the last few months, serving as the lead recruiter on Jackson and Foreman, as well as two four-star cornerbacks, L.A. Loyola’s Ceyair Wright in the 2021 class and Las Vegas Bishop Gorman’s Fabian Ross in the 2022 class.

Jackson told 247 Sports that he was “closer to [Williams] than any other coach.”

“Donte is my guy,” Jackson said. “He’s been recruiting me for a long time and I’m just really comfortable with him as a coach and as a person. He’s someone I know I can talk to about anything, not just football stuff.”

Jackson, the nation’s No. 3 prospect in the 2022 class, chose USC over Arizona State, Clemson, Michigan and Ohio State. His pledge gives the Trojans four commitments already in the class of 2022, propelling USC’s class to No. 7 in the national rankings.

USC did lose a commitment Saturday when Mission Hills Bishop Alemany four-star linebacker Niuafe Tuihalamaka announced he was reopening his recruitment.