Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1524108
A U G U S T 2 0 2 4 10 3 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M Penn State extended its recruiting hot streak in late June with the addition of three-star edge rusher Cortez Harris to its 2025 class. A 6-foot-2, 200-pound defensive end from Upper Marlboro, Md., Har- ris committed on June 23, the same day that his official visit to campus wrapped up. That trip sealed it for James Franklin and his staff, who beat out Maryland and Tennessee for Harris' services. "Man, it went great. I had a ball with Coach Franklin and the guys," Harris said. "My host was one of the players who grew up in D.C., my boy from Friendship Collegiate Academy, De'Andre Cook. I played against him before, and we've had a good friendship ever since, so it was really good catching up with him and seeing how he's doing." Heading into his senior season at Riverdale Baptist, Harris is rated by On3 as the No. 42 edge rusher nationally, as well as the No. 8 player in Maryland. During his visit to campus, he had an op- portunity to get bet- ter acquainted with defensive line coach Deion Barnes. The two had already developed a good rapport, and Harris' visit deep- ened that bond. "I feel like I've known Coach Barnes for a long time now, and that relationship goes a long way," Harris said. "He's a great guy. I love him. We talked a lot about ball and how he sees me fitting in. He said he sees me as a Chop Robinson kind of player. I'm a little shorter than him, but he thinks he can really build my muscle up and point me in the right direction." In addition to Cook, Harris said he also got to speak with junior defensive end Abdul Carter about his time in Happy Valley. He also ran into two Penn State legends who happened to be in town over the weekend. "I talked to Abdul Carter some. He's a real good dude," Harris said. "I also saw LaVar Arrington and Saquon [Barkley] up here, too. That was a lot of fun. It was crazy seeing those guys." — Ryan Snyder When consensus four-star edge rusher Max Granville made his first visit to Penn State this past March, what struck the Texas prospect most was that the Nit- tany Lions' defense seemed like a perfect fit for his skills. "My favorite part was when I watched some cutups with Coach [Deion] Barnes," Granville said. "Just watch- ing from last season alone, seeing how many TFLs they had, it showed me a lot about their defense and how they just let guys play. Some other programs are more strict and tighter with certain as- signments. He has his principles and just kind of lets his guys do what they do, which I like a lot." The son of a former NFL player — his father, Billy, played four seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals — Granville put a big emphasis on scheme and coaching throughout his recruit- ment. "If you're someone like Max, they let them play vertical. They like athletic edge guys," Granville's father told On3 when asked about Penn State. "They're not two-gapping and power-stepping. They're playing vertical. If you're some- one that likes those one-on-one match- ups like Max, you love that. They're let- ting their guys eat and letting their guys go get it." Listed at just under 6-foot-3, 225 pounds, Granville received an offer from Penn State in May 2023. The Nittany Li- ons were considered serious contend- ers for months but were believed to be behind Oklahoma throughout most of his recruitment. Both Baylor and Texas A&M also hosted Granville for official visits. Granville's defensive success at Fort Bend Christian Academy earned him a spot in the On300, where he's ranked as the No. 186 overall prospect nationally and No. 30 player in Texas for 2025. He's also a standout on offense, having racked up a team-high 590 receiving yards on just 18 catches (32.8 yards per catch) as a junior last season. — Ryan Snyder COMMITMENT PROFILE CORTEZ HARRIS COMMITMENT PROFILE MAX GRANVILLE Official Visit Clinches Maryland Prospect's Pledge Texas Defender Sees Perfect Schematic Fit At PSU The biggest issue for Cortez Harris concerns his physical tools. He's good enough to play at Penn State, but does he have special skills to make him a lead pass rusher? Harris is quick and has a good burst off the line, but he doesn't jump off film like some other play- ers PSU has recruited. At the moment, he plays with much better technique and skill than most of his contemporaries, but what happens when they catch up to him at the next level? No matter what, Harris feels like a very good fit for Penn State. He plays with the controlled, intelligent aggression you want from a defensive lineman. He's got the men- tal makeup and enough skills to make him a quality prospect for defensive line coach Deion Barnes. — Thomas Frank Carr Penn State gets offenses off-script. When you're looking at second-and-12 or third-and- long because you took a sack, it's tough to get first downs. That's what Penn State is known for, and this is a young man who can play to that standard. Max Granville has strong hands, plays with great pad level and is athletic. He can bend, he's powerful, he's explosive, he's strong. But more than anything, he's tough, and he has a high football IQ. This is an exciting pickup for Penn State. — Steve Wiltfong, On3 vice president of recruiting and transfer portal P L A Y E R E V A L U A T I O N P L A Y E R E V A L U A T I O N