Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1531683
F E B R U A R Y 2 0 2 5 3 9 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M RETURNING STARTERS A.J. Harris | CB | Jr. In his first season after transferring from Georgia, Harris made 15 starts and totaled 48 tackles, with 5 pass breakups and an interception against Illinois that he brought back for a touchdown before the score was nullified by a penalty. He received third-team All-Big Ten honors. Zakee Wheatley | S | R-Sr. When injuries cut into Penn State's depth at safety, Wheatley stepped up and enjoyed his best season. He finished as the team's third-leading tackler with 96 stops, including 16 against Notre Dame in the Orange Bowl, and he tied for the team lead with 3 interceptions. His overall defensive grade from Pro Football Focus — 79.5 — is the team's best among returning players. OTHER RETURNEES Antoine Belgrave-Shorter | CB | R-Fr. Belgrave-Shorter saw action in four regular-season games, preserving his freshman eligibility. He also played in all three College Football Playoff contests and finished the year with 6 tackles. Audavion Collins | CB | R-Jr. Collins played in all 16 games, total- ing 26 tackles, including 5 apiece against Washington and Boise State. Dejuan Lane | S | So. Lane played in every game and finished his freshman season with 14 tackles, in- cluding a season-high 4 stops versus UCLA. Jon Mitchell | CB | R-Fr. Mitchell played in all four of Penn State's postseason games and three reg- ular-season contests, finishing with 5 tackles. Lamont Payne Jr. | CB | R-So. Payne saw action in just one game — Kent State — during his redshirt freshman year. Vaboue Toure | S | R-Fr. Toure played in five contests, including the Big Ten Championship Game against Oregon and Penn State's CFP opener ver- sus SMU. Zion Tracy | CB | Jr. Tracy started three games at the Lion position and played in all 16, finishing the season with 35 tackles and 2 interceptions. Elliot Washington II | CB | Jr. Washington played in 14 games and started the Kent State game at cornerback in place of Harris. He led the team with 6 pass breakups. Kenny Woseley Jr. | CB | R-Fr. The true freshman played in four reg- ular-season games and the Orange Bowl, preserving his freshman eligibility. NEWCOMERS Daryus Dixson | CB | Fr. The 6-foot, 185-pound Dixson had 8 interceptions and 25 pass breakups in four seasons at Mater Dei in California. He's the nation's No. 46 cornerback prospect, per On3. Josh Johnson | S | Fr. A three-star prospect from Ironton, Ohio, the 6-2, 185-pound Johnson flipped from Louisville to Penn State in October. Jahmir Joseph | CB | Fr. The 6-0, 180-pound Joseph had 4 interceptions and 11 pass deflections as a senior at St. Joseph Regional High in Montvale, N.J. He's a four-star prospect, per On3, as well as the nation's No. 250 overall prospect and No. 24 cornerback. King Mack | S | Jr. Mack played for Penn State as a true freshman in 2023, transferred to Alabama after the season, then transferred back to PSU in January after making 14 tackles in 13 games with the Crimson Tide. Braz Thomas | S | Fr. On3 lists the 6-2, 185-pound Thomas as the No. 41 safety nationally and No. 15 prospect in New Jersey. Xxavier Thomas | CB | Fr. Thomas had 6 interceptions as a se- nior at Pittsburgh Central Catholic. On3 awarded him three stars and lists him as the No. 47 cornerback nationally. 2025 Outlook The Nittany Lions are going to miss departed safety Jaylen Reed, their leader in tackles (98) and defensive snaps (902) in 2024. They're going to miss safety Kevin Winston Jr., too, although that adjustment has been underway for quite a while, with Winston having played in only two games last fall due to an unspecified injury. The good news for Penn State is that Wheatley is back following a breakthrough 2024 campaign, and Mack has made a welcome return to State College after a surprise detour to Alabama. Throw in the experi- ence that Lane and Toure gained as true freshmen at a thin position group, and the Lions have a founda- tion upon which to build at safety. Cornerback has consistently been a position of strength during the Franklin era, and that should be the case again, with Harris back and players such as Collins and Washington eager to take the next step. — Matt Herb Lions Have The Makings Of Another Strong Secondary Za kee Wh ea t ley 's 9 6 ta c kles ra n ked t h i rd o n t h e Nittany Lion defense, and he tied for the team lead with 3 interceptions. PHOTO BY MARK SELDERS/PENN STATE ATHLETICS 2025 LOOK AHEAD DEFENSIVE BACK