Penn State enters the 2025 season with a veteran nucleus that’s having its “last dance.”
I examine the current state of the position group and identify who is next, who needs to step up, along with who is in the pipeline in recruiting, and attempt to forecast the potential usage of the transfer portal.
In the first part of the series, the quarterback room was examined. You can read it HERE.
In the second part of the series, the running back room was examined. You can read it HERE.
In the third part of the series, the EDGE room was examined. You can read it HERE.
In the fourth part of the series, the defensive tackle room was examined. You can read it HERE.
In the finale, the examination of the next cornerbacks after A.J. Harris.
Current Starters: Harris, Elliott Washington, Zion Tracy
Harris is rated by PFF as the No. 7 returning cornerback to college this season after allowing 0.76 yards per coverage snap a season ago.
With his ability to equally cover the slot and boundary with exceptional instincts in zone coverage, many feel Harris is currently the top prepared cornerback for the 2026 NFL Draft, if he declares.
Washington has been a fast riser ranking in the Top 10 among Big Ten cornerbacks in PFF College’s wins above average metric.
Last season, Washington appeared in 14 games, finishing with 26 tackles (18 solo), a half-tackle for loss, six pass breakups, and one interception.
Opposing quarterbacks completed only 48% of their passes when Washington was in coverage.
While it is expected Washington will split time with redshirt junior Audavion Collins at the right cornerback position, Washington is expected to get the majority of the reps in this spot.
Tracy has carved himself a niche at the nickel, where he played spent 292 snaps last year.
What new defensive coordinator Jim Knowles will like with Tracy is his ability not only in coverage but also at the line of scrimmage where Tracy had two tackles for loss and a sack.
Photo by Matt Lynch, Nittany Sports Now
Daryus Dixson
Much like with Enai White and the defensive tackle group, Dixson has been extremely impactful warranting the green light from head coach James Franklin.
“He’s dialed in a different way,” cornerbacks coach Terry Smith said this month. “Coming from Mater Dei (Santa Ana, California), No. 1 program in the country, that’s what he’s bringing to us — a work ethic of how to win big games. (He can) be in big moments and it’s not too big for him. He came into a room that was developed with pretty elite talent, and he has fit in and has demanded playing time within an elite group.”
The praise for Dixson didn’t end with Smith but from Knowles.
“The new guy, who should still be in high school – if I had to use one word, it would be impressive,” Knowles said.
I had asked Knowles at Penn State Media Day among all the cornerbacks that he has coached who Dixson reminded him of the most at this point in Dixson’s career.
Knowles compared Dixson to Ross Cockrell, whom Knowles coached at Duke.
Cockrell was a two-time First Team All-ACC cornerback for the Blue Devils before enjoying an eight-year career in the NFL, highlighted by being a member of Tampa Bay Buccaneers Super Bowl LV championship team.
Audavion Collins celebrates his first half interception.
Potential Replacements: Dixson, Collins, and Kenny Wolseley Jr./Kolin Dinkins (Nickel)
Penn State’s depth cornerback is one of the deepest in program history, so there will be rotation between the starters and the No. 2’s.
Franklin was questioned about Tracy’s status after missing 15 tackles (per PFF) and receiving the nod as the starting nickelback.
“Zion (Tracy), (Kenny) Woseley Jr, and (Kolin) Dinkins, those three guys are playing the nickel position,” Franklin said.
“But I think your point is still a fair one. Zion (Tracy), like all these guys, are developing players. Did some really good things from a coverage standpoint. Did some really good things from a return standpoint. But he’s a young, developing player. He’s getting better and better and continues to do that both in the run game and in the pass game.
Add Nittany Sports Now as a preferred source in Google! Click here to add us.“Experience counts. He’s got a full year under his belt. He’s bigger, stronger, faster. I also think just schematically some of the things that we’ll be asking not just Zion to do, but our whole defense to do.”
The valuable reps that each Dixson, Collins, Wolseley, and Dinkins get this year only strengthens for 2026.
With Franklin willing to green light Dixson, you have to imagine he will play opposite of Harris most of the time, but also get experience with Collins and Washington.
While I expect Washington to have the majority of reps, Collins has every opportunity to unseat Washington and become a starter in 2025.
Committed Pipeline: David Davis, Amauri Polydor, Julian Peterson, Jaziel Hart
Penn State has four cornerbacks committed in the Class of 2026.
The jewel is four-star Imani Christian (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) prospect David Davis.
Davis selected Penn State over Pitt, West Virginia and has the ability to not just play cornerback but also free safety, which Davis feels he may end up at Penn State.
Beyond Davis, Polydor, Peterson, and Hart are rated among the Top 50 cornerbacks by either On3 or 247Sports and each fit a Penn State model of developing into starting cornerbacks.
Polydor has had experience playing against some of the elite high schools (IMG Academy, DeMatha, McDonogh to name a few) and put up elite numbers with 40 tackles and nine interceptions.
If Polydor continues the play he has demonstrated, he should receive a fourth-star.
Peterson is in the same boat as Polydor and with ample opportunity against elite competition (IMG Academy and Bergen Catholic), big performances should give him a bump in the star ratings.
Hart is also cut from the same cloth as Polydor and Peterson.
Hart opened his 2025 season with a pick-six in North Cross School’s (Roanoke, Virginia) 62-0 rout of Nansemond-Suffolk Academy.
Recruiting Targets
Two key targets Penn State has prioritized in the Class of 2027 are IMG Academy cornerback Aliquippa, Pennsylvania native Larry Moon and Penn Hills (Penn Hills, Pennsylvania) Carter Bonner.
Moon is rated as a four-star cornerback by the recruiting services.
Terry Smith is currently in a good recruiting battle with Ohio State and Florida for Moon.
Moon projects to be a cornerback, nickelback, with some schools telling Moon they even like him at free safety.
Bonner is rated as a four-star and a consensus Top 10 athlete by ESPN, 247Sports, and On3, has visited four times, but only once this year and this was in April for an unofficial.
While Bonner is listed as a cornerback, there is a feeling free safety or even wide receiver opportunities might be in the fold in Happy Valley for him.
Penn State will be battling Tennessee and Rutgers for Bonner’s commitment.
Photo by Matt Lynch, Nittany Sports Now: James Franklin
Portal Forecast
At the moment, Penn State is deep at the cornerback position.
“We’re pretty talented,” Smith said. “I think my corner room is the best I’ve had in 12 years. I have four guys that could start anywhere in the Big Ten or the SEC.”
Knowles concurred with Smith’s assessment.
“If I had to use one word, it would be impressive,” Knowles said. “Terry Smith has built an awesome culture in that room. Those guys are playmakers, so I’m going to set things up for them to make plays.”
With Penn State being now a cornerback destination, I feel the only way Penn State is adding from the transfer portal is if a great opportunity presents itself.
