Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1530530
J A N U A R Y 2 0 2 5 5 3 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M Jahmir Joseph CB | 6-0 | 180 | Nyack, N.Y. Joseph emerged as a top prospect early on for Penn State. The Nittany Lions ex- tended their offer just as he was beginning his sophomore season in August 2022. By that point, the St. Joseph Regional (N.J.) standout had already visited once, and he returned for the Blue-White Game in 2023 as well as the season opener against West Virginia. Stanford and Notre Dame joined PSU on his official visit itinerary last June, and it ultimately came down to a choice between the Nittany Lions and Fighting Irish. A four-star prospect according to On3, as well as the nation's No. 250 overall prospect, No. 24 cornerback and No. 6 player in New Jersey, Joseph credited his connection with PSU's staff as the main factor in his decision. Joseph totaled 29 tackles, including 3 for loss, 11 pass deflections, 4 intercep- tions and a blocked field goal during his senior season. He finished his high school career with 115 tackles, including 4 for loss, as well as 10 interceptions, 34 pass deflections, 5 forced fumbles, 2 blocked punts and 2 blocked field goals. Yvan Kemajou DL | 6-3 | 235 | Burtonsville, Md. Kemajou totaled 16 scholarship offers, including one from Penn State in Decem- ber 2023. The following month, he visited State College for a junior day. That ended up being his only trip to campus until he took an official visit May 31-June 2. Duke, Indiana, Rutgers and Virginia Tech also hosted Kemajou for official vis- its in the summer, but Penn State was able to get him back on campus for the Lasch Bash in July, and he committed a few days later. A three-star prospect according to On3, Kemajou is the No. 40 defensive end na- tionally but is expected to move inside to an interior defensive line position at the college level after enrolling in Janu- ary. He totaled 63 tackles, including 13 for loss and 5 sacks, in 10 games as a senior at Paint Branch High. Brian Kortovich TE | 6-4 | 230 | Willoughby, Ohio The Nittany Lions already had one of the most athletic tight end rooms in the country, and they were able to add to their talent pool just before signing day when they received a commitment Dec. 3 from Kortovich, a four-star Ohioan. Kortovich had caught the staff's at- tention in June with an excellent show- ing at their camp. When an offer didn't immediately follow, he committed to Purdue and held firm until it became clear that the Boilermakers would be making a coaching change. An offi- cial visit to Penn State during the final week of the season ultimately sealed the deal. Kortovich totaled just over 1,000 receiving yards and 16 touchdowns the past two seasons at Villa Angela- St. Joseph High. He's a member of the On300, coming in at No. 238 nationally, and is the No. 13 tight end in the country and No. 9 player in Ohio. He'll enroll at Penn State in January. Bekkem Kritza QB | 6-5 | 195 | Chandler, Ariz. Kritza spent time at four different high schools during the past four years, playing in Colorado, California and Florida. His senior season was supposed to provide an opportunity for stability, but when he was benched a few games into the season at Miami Central, Kritza transferred again, this time ending up at another South Florida powerhouse, Chaminade Madonna. Kritza, a three-star prospect and the No. 66 quarterback nationally accord- ing to On3, performed well after making that move, totaling 885 yards passing, 14 touchdowns and 1 interception in six games. He helped lead the Lions to the Florida 1A championship with a 42-7 win over Clearwater Central Catholic in the final Dec. 11. Kritza is expected to enroll at Penn State in January. Brady O'Hara OL | 6-6 | 250 | Mars, Pa. O'Hara was one of the first players to commit to Penn State in the 2025 cycle, ending his recruitment in September 2023. He played tight end at North Catholic High outside of Pittsburgh, but he's expected to move to offensive tackle when he arrives at Penn State next summer. Pitt, Wisconsin and West Virginia also extended early offers, and were able to host him and his family for at least one visit each, but they also vis- The nation's No. 49 edge rusher according to On3, Cortez Harris chose the Nittany Lions over Maryland and Tennessee. PHOTO COURTESY CORTEZ HARRIS Three-star safety Josh Johnson initially committed to Louisville because it was closer to his home in southern Ohio, but he later reconsidered and joined the Lions' class this fall. PHOTO COURTESY JOSH JOHNSON