Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1537537
7 8 A U G U S T 2 0 2 5 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M / / / / / / / 2 0 2 5 F O O T B A L L P R E V I E W / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / PRESEASON ANALYSIS ★★★★★ National Title; ★★★★ Top 10; ★★★ Top 25; ★★ Too Unproven; ★ Major Concern STARTERS ★★★★ The cornerback corps looks like the strongest element of Penn State's defense in 2025. The Lions relied heavily on press coverage in then-defensive coordinator Tom Allen's scheme last year, and the cornerbacks held up remarkably well. Three of those players — juniors Audavion Collins, Elliot Washington II and A.J. Harris — will lead the position group this fall. Among Big Ten cornerbacks last year, they ranked eighth (44.6), ninth (48.9) and 12th (59.9), respectively, in opposing passer rating in press-coverage situations. Harris played more press- coverage snaps than any cornerback in the conference. That's an incredibly productive room, given how much the team leaned on that concept. It also fits nicely into what Allen's successor, Jim Knowles, likes to do on defense. While he calls less press coverage, he coaches his players to be very aggressive. Harris, Washington and Col- lins should be a perfect fit for his system. Meanwhile, the safeties room boasts a veteran in redshirt senior Zakee Wheatley, last year's third-leading tackler with 96 stops. Promising sophomore Dejuan Lane looks to be the starter at the other true safety spot, while the nickel position has yet to be definitively filled, in part because two of the primary contenders — junior safety King Mack and junior cornerback Zion Tracy — were hurt during spring practice. EXPERIENCE ★★★ Wheatley and Harris both were among the top five players on Penn State's defense last year in snaps, ranking second (884) and fifth (729), respectively. Wheatley is one of the longest- tenured players on Penn State's entire team, having played in 46 games since 2021 and been on the field for 1,525 plays. Safety Zakee Wheatley leads the Lions' secondary after playing the second-most snaps (884) of any PSU defen- sive player last year. PHOTO BY STEVE MANUEL PERSONNEL POSITION COACHES Terry Smith (cornerbacks) and Anthony Poindexter (safeties): One of four Penn State lettermen on the current staff, Smith is the team's longest-tenured assistant coach and the only one remaining from James Franklin's initial PSU staff. The former receiver had a standout high school coach- ing career at Gateway High near Pittsburgh. He then started in the college ranks at Temple before returning to his alma mater in 2014. Seven of Smith's PSU players have been drafted, the most recent being Dae- quan Hardy and Kalen King in 2024. Both of his starting cornerbacks — Jalen Kimber and A.J. Harris — earned All-Big Ten honors last year. Poindexter is getting set for his fifth sea- son on staff. He's a College Football Hall of Famer who played at Virginia and has been coaching since 2003 when he returned to his alma mater as a graduate assistant. Be- sides spending time with the Cavaliers, he's also coached at Connecticut and Purdue. Poindexter has sent four of his Penn State players into the NFL in the past four drafts. Jaquan Brisker was a second-team All-American as a senior and was selected in the second round of the 2022 draft by Chicago. A year later, Ji'Ayir Brown was cho- sen in the third round by San Francisco. This past April, Kevin Winston Jr. was taken in the third round by Tennessee, while Jaylen Reed went in the sixth round to Houston. RETURNING SCHOLARSHIP PLAYERS Cornerback AUDAVION COLLINS R-Jr. | 5-11 | 180 • Played in all 16 games last year, totaling 26 tackles, including 5 apiece against Wiscon- sin and Boise State. • Transferred to Penn State in 2023 after initially beginning his career at Mississippi State, where he redshirted as a true fresh- man. A.J. HARRIS Jr. | 6-1 | 191 • Made 15 starts and totaled 48 tackles in his first season at PSU after transferring from Georgia, with 5 pass breakups and an interception against Illinois. • Received third-team All-Big Ten honors. ZION TRACY Jr. | 5-11 | 180 • Started three games and played in all 16, finishing his sophomore season with 35 tackles and 2 interceptions. • Appeared in all 13 games as a true fresh- man, mostly on special teams. ELLIOT WASHINGTON II Jr. | 5-11 | 199 • Played in 14 games last season and started the Kent State game at cornerback in place of Harris. • Led the Lions with 6 pass breakups. • Appeared in 10 games on defense and special teams during his true freshman season in 2023. KENNY WOSELEY JR. R-Fr. | 5-10 | 180 • Played in four regular-season games and the Orange Bowl, preserving his freshman eligibility. • Led Imhotep Charter in Philadelphia to an undefeated record and a PIAA Class 5A state title as a senior. • Was a three-star prospect and was listed No. 85 among cornerbacks nationally and No. 23 among Pennsylvania players by On3. Safety ANTOINE BELGRAVE-SHORTER R-Fr. | 6-0 | 200 • Saw action in four regular-season games in 2024, preserving his freshman eligibility. • Played in all three College Football Play-