2026 NFL Draft Player Profile: A.J. Harris, CB, Penn State
Smart, tough, and sticky.
🏈 Background
A.J. Harris is a native of Phenix City, Alabama, and a former five-star recruit who began his college career at Georgia. After a solid freshman year in Athens, he transferred to Penn State. In his first season with the Nittany Lions, Harris started 15 games and earned third-team All-Big Ten honors. He finished with 48 tackles, 4 tackles for loss, 5 pass breakups, and 1 interception. At 6'1", 184 pounds, Harris brings a balanced blend of size, athleticism, and polish to the cornerback position.
💪 Strengths
Press Coverage: Harris is physical at the line and knows how to disrupt timing between quarterbacks and receivers.
Football IQ: Reads routes well and rarely bites on fakes. He's especially sharp in man coverage and doesn’t get fooled easily.
Recovery Speed: Can close gaps quickly if beaten initially, thanks to smooth hips and burst out of transitions.
Willing Tackler: Doesn't shy away from contact and will come up strong in run support.
Experience at a High Level: Played in two Power Five programs and faced top-tier competition week in and week out.
⚠️ Weaknesses
Zone Coverage Needs Work: At times looks uncomfortable when not in man-to-man situations. Needs to improve his awareness in soft zone schemes.
Ball Production: While he’s good at staying with receivers, Harris has just one career interception. Needs to turn more deflections into turnovers.
Lean Frame: At under 190 pounds, he may struggle against stronger, more physical wideouts at the next level if he doesn’t add bulk.
🔮 NFL Outlook
A.J. Harris is the kind of corner that defensive coordinators will love to coach. He’s smart, technically sound, and brings intensity on every down. His ability to play sticky man coverage could make him an early contributor, especially in schemes that prioritize press coverage. If he develops more consistency in zone and turns his instincts into turnovers, Harris could be a high-end CB2 with CB1 upside.
