USC Football All-Decade Team: Best Trojans of the 2010s

USC football 2010s CB: Nickell Robey

Nickell Robey was undersized at 5-foot-8, 165 pounds, but what he lacked in height he made up for in determination and skill. That’s why warrants first team honors.

Robey played in and started 37 games as a Trojan. He was an immediate starter when he arrived in 2010, becoming the first true freshman cornerback to start a season opener since World War II. He was an All-Pac-10 honorable mention that year while leading USC with four interceptions.

In 2011 Robey etched himself in Trojan lore with one of the moments of the decade—an interception return for a touchdown against Andrew Luck and Stanford. Even though USC lost that game, his contributions didn’t go unrewarded as he nabbed All-Pac-12 first team honors.

For the third season in a row in 2012, Robey returned an interception for a score in 2012, tying a Trojan record. He also achieved second team All-Pac-12 status to complete his career as a lockdown corner.

2nd-Team CB: Iman Marshall Iman Marshall never managed more than a second-team All-Pac-12 nod but he was a key figure on the Trojan defense across his four seasons in cardinal and gold. His best year was in 2018, when he had 48 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss and nine passes broken up while shutting down his side of the field regardless of the threats he faced.

3rd-Team CB: Josh Shaw Josh Shaw may be better known for his off-the-field troubles as a Trojan, but he was a capable defensive back at both cornerback and safety.