Penn State CB AJ Harris makes Lott Impact Trophy watch list

As a program, Penn State football has been picking up preseason praise from pundits and analysts across the country heading into the summer. This week, the attention shifts to individual Nittany Lions as the first of the 2025 award watch lists begin to be released.

On Wednesday, junior cornerback AJ Harris was named to the Lott Impact Trophy watch list. The award recognizes the nation’s top defensive player who exhibits the characteristics of integrity, maturity, performance, academics, community, and tenacity on and off the field.

Harris is one of 42 defenders from across the country to make the watch list. The last Nittany Lion to bring home the honor was defensive end Carl Nassib in 2015.

Lott Impact Trophy Watch List — CFB’s Defensive Player of the Year 🤫#WeAre x @AJ_Harris04 pic.twitter.com/C92nPpLtpX

— Penn State Football (@PennStateFball) May 28, 2025

In his first season with the Nittany Lions after transferring from Georgia, Harris was named third-team All-Big Ten by the coaches and media in 2024. He appeared in all 16 games, making 15 starts, and recorded 48 tackles, four tackles for loss, and one interception. His five pass breakups were tied for the second-most on the Penn State defense last fall.

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With Jalen Kimber off to the NFL and Cam Miller now at Rutgers, Harris has the opportunity to solidify himself as the Nittany Lions’ top cornerback in 2025. He, along with safety Zakee Wheatley and cornerback Elliot Washington, will enter fall camp as the most experienced pass defenders for new defensive coordinator Jim Knowles.

“The thing to me that’s exciting is I don’t think he’s scratched the surface,” James Franklin said of Harris last November. “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 [Smith] is the right guy to coach him.”

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