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Penn State freshman DE Cortez Harris enters transfer portal

nate-mug-10.12.14by: Nate Bauer01/06/26NateBauerBWI

Penn State football’s rebuild along the defensive line continues. Cortez Harris, a true freshman Nittany Lions defensive end, is entering the NCAA transfer portal.

Harris was rated a Rivals Industry Ranking three-star prospect in the Class of 2025, checking in at No. 439 nationally and No. 43 among edge defenders. He played his high school football at Riverdale Baptist in Upper Marlboro, Maryland, and was considered the No. 14 prospect in the state last cycle.

Recruiting background and early impressions

Harris originally committed to Penn State in June 2024, citing his relationship with defensive line coach Deion Barnes, head coach James Franklin and the Nittany Lions’ recruiting staff as major factors in his decision.

By the time he pledged, Harris had already shown enough on film to intrigue Blue White Illustrated analyst Thomas Frank Carr, who highlighted both his strengths and areas for development during the evaluation process.

“The biggest issue for Harris deals with his physical tools,” Carr wrote at the time. “He’s good enough to play at Penn State, but does he have special skills to make him a lead rusher? Harris is quick and has a good burst off the line, but he doesn’t jump off film like some other players Penn State has recruited. He’s also 6-2 with good, but not great, length for the position.

“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? Finding out testing metrics this summer and seeing if he continues to grow are key elements of his evaluation.

“No matter what, Harris feels like a very good fit for Penn State. He’s a passionate defender who plays with the controlled, intelligent aggression you want from a defensive lineman. He’s got the mental makeup and enough skills to make him a quality prospect for Barnes and Penn State.”

Freshman year and internal praise

After enrolling last summer, Harris’ projection did not change significantly. Showing signs of a bright future, Harris impressed veteran teammate Zuriah Fisher with his work ethic and approach to daily improvement, both on the field and in the weight room.

“I noticed Chaz Coleman and Cortez Harris,” Fisher said at preseason media day. “The way they work in the weight room and everything, them boys gonna be good in the future to come. They’re gonna be some dogs.

“They don’t complain about the work. They just come ready to work every day. Sometimes, with some freshmen that come in, they complain about the work. But them boys came in to work. They run fast, they lift hard. So I’m excited for them.”

Defensive line turnover continues

With his impending departure, Harris becomes the fifth player from Penn State’s 2025 roster to leave the defensive end position. Combined with four additional transfer departures at defensive tackle, the graduations of Dani Dennis-Sutton and Zane Durant, and Barnes’ move to South Carolina, the defensive line room will look dramatically different next season.

There have been retention wins for new head coach Matt Campbell and his staff to counterbalance those losses, however.

At defensive end, Max Granville, Yvan Kemajou and Mason Robinson have all announced their intentions to return for the 2026 season. At defensive tackle, Liam Andrews and De’Andre Cook have done the same.

Among Campbell’s initial wave of Iowa State transfers, Penn State has also added Alijah Carnell, whom Carr described as “a big-bodied tweener” capable of playing both defensive tackle and defensive end, in addition to non-ISU transfers Keanu Williams, a defensive tackle from UCLA, Alexander McPherson, an edge from Colorado, and former Oklahoma State defensive tackle Armstrong Nnodim.

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