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Penn State's A.J. Harris Named to Lott IMPACT Trophy Watch List

Harris enters his second season as a starting cornerback for the Nittany Lions defense.
Mark Wogenrich|
Penn State cornerback A.J. Harris (4) celebrates a pass breakup in the first half of a Nittany Lions game vs. the West Virginia Mountaineers.
Penn State cornerback A.J. Harris (4) celebrates a pass breakup in the first half of a Nittany Lions game vs. the West Virginia Mountaineers. | Dan Rainville / USA TODAY NETWORK

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College football award watch list season won't truly begin until late July, but one trophy got a jumpstart during the last week of May. The Lott IMPACT Trophy released its 2025 watch list, which includes Penn State cornerback A.J. Harris.

Harris is among 42 players named to the watch list for the Lott IMPACT Trophy, named for Hall of Fame NFL cornerback Ronnie Lott. According to its website, the Lott IMPACT Trophy is presented to the nation's top defensive player "who also exhibits the characteristics of Ronnie Lott by making an
IMPACT® on and off the field. IMPACT® is an acronym for Integrity, Maturity, Performance, Academics, Community and Tenacity."

Harris enters his second season as a starting cornerback for Penn State and was among the team's top transfer additions. Harris, a junior who began his career at Georgia, was named third-team All-Big Ten last season after making 15 starts for the Nittany Lions.

The 6-1, 184-pound cornerback made 48 tackles (28 solo, four for losses), an interception and five pass breakups. According to Pro Football Focus, Harris allowed just one touchdown in 389 snaps on pass defense and earned a coverage grade of 81.3.

Pro Football Focus' Max Chadwick ranks Harris as the No. 7 returning cornerback in college football, citing his "excellent instincts in zone coverage" and calling him "very technicall refined." Harris could become the first Penn State defensive back to be a first-round pick in the NFL Draft.

Harris, from Phenix City, Alabama, transferred to Penn State after spending his freshman season at Georgia. He played in seven games for the Bulldogs in 2023. Harris was a 5-star prospect in his recruiting class and ranked as the No. 3 cornerback nationally according to 247Sports.

Want more watch list season? It begins in late July, when the Maxwell Football Club begins announcing its preseason nominees.

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Mark Wogenrich
MARK WOGENRICH

Mark Wogenrich is the editor and publisher of Penn State on SI, the site for Nittany Lions sports on the Sports Illustrated network. He has covered Penn State sports for more than two decades across three coaching staffs, three Rose Bowls and one College Football Playoff appearance.

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