USC's Chris Steele sets bar high for 2021: All-American and high draft pick

In a joint Zoom interview with reporters Thursday morning, USC cornerbacks coach Donte Williams commented that junior corner Chris Steele had set some lofty goals for the year ahead and said it was up to the returning starter whether he wanted to share the specifics.

When prompted, Steele didn't hesitate at all to lay out his bold personal expectations for all to hear.

"Obviously, I want to be a first-team All-American, unanimous All-American, so I want every panel across the board, across the country to recognize me as one of the top corners in the country this year," he said. "And it's also my goal to leave after this season as a high draft prospect. So I've been working real hard this offseason, working on my mental [side] more than anything to be able to accomplish that goal."

RELATED: Watch the full video interview with Donte Williams and Chris Steele

Steele returns as the Trojans' starting boundary corner, while field corner Olaijah Griffin made the decision to leave for the NFL.

This is indeed a pivotal, spotlight year for the former five-star prospect from St. John Bosco High School.

Steele's freshman year was a wild one as he enrolled early at Florida, went through spring practice with the Gators and then opted to transfer, initially committing to play for Williams at Oregon before soon changing his destination to USC. He saw significant playing time as a freshman, mostly splitting snaps with Isaac Taylor-Stuart opposite Griffin.

Last year, Williams was hired by the Trojans, as Steele coincidentally ended up playing for his desired position coach after all. USC switched to a boundary-field system for the corners with Griffin manning the wide side of the field and Steele playing the majority of snaps at the boundary spot, relegating Taylor-Stuart to a limited role off the bench. But he had no spring ball, a new defense to learn and only six games to showcase himself during the Trojans' truncated season.

Now, though, it's all in place for Steele.

A full spring and offseason, continuity within the staff and an unquestioned role as a leader in the secondary set the stage for what should be his best year as a Trojan.

"Athletically, Chris is up there. I mean, when it comes to who can clock a 40, bench press, vertical jump, he's as good as it comes in those attributes. So I think more for him is the mental aspect, not just football but the mental aspect with him. Just making sure he plays a lot better with his feet than with his hands, because he is physically strong, physically gifted," Williams said. "And then the same time, a lot of these balls, he knows this more than anyone, [there's] balls that he's breaking up or a lot of times he's just covering the guy instead of doing that -- make the play. Get interceptions.

"He has a goal right now. ... He knows where he wants to go and it's my job to help him achieve that. At the same time, it's his job to make sure he does everything to achieve that. So right now that's where Chris is headed."

Steele has 1 career interception (last year vs. Utah), 8 total pass breakups and 61 tackles over two years. He's shown to be smothering in coverage at times, but his weakness has been getting too handsy and drawing penalties. PFF had him down for 6 penalties (1 of which was declined or offsetting) last season, including a pair each vs. Arizona and Arizona State. That was a problem for him in his first training camp at USC as a freshman, but it seemed to be under control during that season as he drew just two flags before tripling that number in half as many games last year.

"The main thing I've been working on is being lighter on my feet and my hands. I feel like I had a tendency, I've always had pretty good feet but I've been a little over physical with my hands at times. So that's been my main focus along with just making plays on the ball," Steele said Thursday. "I came to the realization that I'm a pretty long corner so if I just try to catch the ball ... I think I've always had like a kind of a bad rep of not making plays on the ball, just having a lot of pass breakups. So this year I definitely want to make a lot more plays on the ball, get some interceptions -- I'm looking at getting 5 this year."

Steele was one of a handful of notable players who missed the first week of spring practice due to health protocols, but he asserted himself quickly in his return last week. And he closed practice Tuesday with perfectly played coverage on star receiver Drake London on a fade route to the back corner of the end zone, gaining prime position on the taller receiver and going up to secure the interception that ended practice.

"Oh man, it felt amazing," he said. "The energy at practice was crazy and I just look forward to making a lot of plays like that this year to help this team win games. I think we have a very special team this year, so I'm just excited to be able to do what I do and do my part."

Steele is one of the most high-energy, engaged players on the practice field, and it hasn't mattered that the Trojans don't have a game for another four and a half months. He was in the face of freshman receiver Michael Jackson III during practice Saturday and certainly is competing as if every moment is significant and building towards those overall goals.

"Like Coach Donte mentioned earlier, the game is 90% mental and 10% physical. So I really just try to go out there and give the guys my best shot every time out there. I treat practice like it's a game," he said. "And our team, I'm fortunate enough to compete against some of the better receivers in the conference and the country every year. My freshman year, I had to guard Michael Pittman, last year I was guarding Amon-Ra [St. Brown] every practice and this year it's Bru McCoy or Drake London, Gary Bryant. It's just a handful of guys I have to compete against so I mean, just, I feel like when I treat it like a game, the energy just translates so I think that's kind of how it works with our team."

If the limited spring performance so far is any indication, Steele could indeed be primed for a showcase season.

"I think he's second to none not just in this conference but in the nation," Williams said. "But we're gonna continue to work toward that goal."