Penn State hoped A.J. Harris would be their next star corner and they weren’t disappointed.
With Kalen King, Johnny Dixon and Daequan Hardy all gone after the 2023 season, somebody needed to step up, and Harris took the lead.
He started 15 of Penn State’s 16 games, performing well enough to be named all Big Ten.
Now, Harris is a proven commodity and the clear anchor of Penn State’s cornerback group.
Another strong campaign could well lead Harris to an NFL payday. He could even become the first Penn State DB ever selected in the first round.
For now, Harris is the latest subject of All 105, a Nittany Sports Now series profiling each Penn State football player.
Height: 6-foot-1
Weight: 184 pounds
Hometown: Phenix City, Alabama
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High School: Harris went down to Georgia after a fabulous career at Central Phenix High School. As a junior, he helped his team to state championship, and as a senior, he went to the All-American Bowl. He committed to Georgia in June 2022.
Georgia: In his lone season at Georgia, Harris burned his redshirt, appearing in seven games. He ended the season with eight tackles (three solo). Although he showed promise at Georgia, he decided to enter the transfer portal in December 2023. He committed and subsequently signed with Penn State in January 2024.
Last year: Harris was an all-Big Ten performer partially because he was hard to pass against. Per Pro Football Focus, opponents had just a 72.6 passer rating against him, which is well below average.
Where he stands: It’s pretty straightforward. Harris is Penn State’s No. 1 corner, so there’s no question on where his place on the team is.
A quote from Harris: “I was trying my best to be a pro. Your ultimate goal is the NFL, and you can’t wait to live that lifestyle and to be a pro. So by priming my body and making sure I was as ready as possible for the season and not leaving any stones unturned, doing all my work on my end and leaving it up to the coaching staff.” — Harris to reporters last September
A quote about Harris: “The thing that’s exciting to me is, I don’t think he’s scratched the surface,” Franklin said. “I think there’s a ton left for him, and I think he’s playing at a high level, but I think there’s a ton left for improvement there. And I think Terry is the right guy to coach him. As good as he’s been, I think he’s got a chance to get a lot better.” — James Franklin
