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What addition of elite transfer Mario Williams means for USC Football

By Chris Peterson

Oct 16, 2021; Norman, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma Sooners tight end Jeremiah Hall (27) celebrates with wide receiver Mario Williams (4) after scoring a touchdown during the first quarter against the TCU Horned Frogs at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 16, 2021; Norman, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma Sooners tight end Jeremiah Hall (27) celebrates with wide receiver Mario Williams (4) after scoring a touchdown during the first quarter against the TCU Horned Frogs at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports /
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Lincoln Riley has wasted little time bringing some elite talent to USC football and the head coach did it again this weekend with transfer Mario Williams. 

Mario Williams was one of the top wide receivers in the 2021 recruiting class and while USC football wasn’t able to win his commitment out of high school, the Trojans were able to take advantage of their second opportunity and landed Williams on Sunday.

Williams announced his commitment to USC football on Instagram and Twitter on Sunday and hopefully for the Trojans, it’s just the first shoe to drop.

The former four-star wide receiver ranked 43rd overall according to the 247 sports composite rankings for 2021, played his freshman season at Oklahoma, and hauled in 35 passes last year playing under Lincoln Riley at OU.

As soon as Riley announced he was taking the head coaching job with USC football, a number of elite recruits decommitted, and eventually, both Williams and five-star quarterback Caleb Williams entered the transfer portal.

The two Williams actually entered the transfer portal one day apart from each other. That led many to believe that the former Sooners would follow Riley to USC football and while we are still waiting to hear what Caleb Williams will do, landing Mario Williams is still a big deal.

What Mario Williams means for USC football

Mario Williams is a smaller wide receiver and is more of a slot guy but he’s got dynamic speed and definitely has the ability to get deep. He scored four touchdowns last season and had 380 yards.

His experience will be needed as the Trojans lost Drake London to the NFL. And adding a top-100 talent at a position of need is always important. Mario Williams will join another Williams — C.J. Williams — a top-100 prospect in 2022 that also committed to USC football recently.

Riley has yet to coach a game for the Trojans but his impact has definitely been felt on the recruiting trail. Riley has added commitments from five 5-star recruits since his arrival and Caleb Williams would make it six.

USC appears to be the favorite for Caleb Williams but a new report from 247 sports suggests that Wisconsin is now a dark horse and could host Williams this week.

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We’ll be following that closely but the addition of an elite wideout to USC football can’t hurt, especially since it’s Mario Williams, who can only help bring Caleb Williams to Los Angeles.

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